Emeralds
by Renesmee4eva
Summary: AU. All Mundane. Clary is accepted into Idris Academy - a school for only the best students. While at the academy, she meets the cocky, self-absorbed Jace. She's falling for him but he doesn't seem to feel the same way. Will Clary ever break through his walls and steal the heart of the Golden Boy or will she just be another girl crushing on the hottest guy to ever walk the planet?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome to Emeralds! I hope you enjoy it! Here's an extended summary incase you didn't see it in the final chapter of Without You...  
**

_**Clary is accepted into Idris Academy - a school for only the best students. While at Idris Academy she meets the cocky, self-absorbed, egotistical Jace Herondale. Clary is falling head over heels for him but there are just a few problems. First of all, he's a player. Secondly, he doesn't let people in easily - he has walls put up to protect himself. And thirdly... he's taken a strong disliking to her. Will Clary ever find out the truth or will she be left to fall for someone who will never feel the same about her? All Mundane. AU. Mainly Clace but hints of Sizzy, Malec and Jaia.  
**_

Chapter 1

Clary's POV

I sighed as I climbed out of the car and looked up at the huge building in front of me.

At the end of last term, I had been given a scholarship to Idris Academy; a school for students with exceptional talent in school based classes or activities that weren't compulsory.

I would've thought that the scholarship would be given at the end of the year or something but no, I got it in the middle of the year.

Of course, being accepted into the school meant you were going to take a class there to improve your talent further but you were also required to take the usual English and Maths courses. The other subjects that you took were entirely up to you.

Apparently, I had been accepted because of my artistic talent.

I knew I was alright at art but my mother was far better. She actually sold paintings and drawings yet I never did. I only got a few comments on my artwork when people saw it and there was still a fair amount that I couldn't do.

The building in front of me was beyond huge to say the least. It was almost like anold gothic cathedral.

Idris Academy was like a boarding school almost. You had to stay at the school during the terms but you could go home during the holidays and on weekends.

My brother put his hand on my shoulder as he set one of my bags down beside me and I turned to look up at him.

He reminded me so much of our father.

He had the same white blonde hair and dark eyes. He was almost like a carbon-copy of dad except for the fact that he had our mother's facial structure.

Our parents had split up when I was six and Jonathan was eight and Dad had just taken Jon with him.

After weeks of not speaking, our parents finally made contact and agreed to share custody of Jon and I.

Sometimes the two of us would be separated, other times we would be together.

It was hard, but I just went with it and it slowly started to get easier.

"I can't believe you actually got into this place. Congrats..." Jonathan said as he hugged me to his side.

I took another deep breath and Jonathan, my mother and I all headed up the stairs and into the school.

When I stepped through the doors, I was not expecting what I saw.

It was so open and amazing.

The floor almost looked like marble, there was a gorgeous chandelier hanging from the ceiling and off to the right was a small set up consisting of a few cream coloured couches, a few plants and a stone fireplace.

"Hello, how may I help you?" A voice asked, coming down the nearby stairs.

"I'm Jocelyn Fray and this is my daughter Clary," mom said, greeting the man with a smile.

"Oh! Yes. Clary, welcome to Idris Academy! We're so excited to have you here," he said. "I'm Hodge Starkweather, the principal."

"Nice to meet you Mr Starkweather; I'm excited to be here as well," I replied.

"Oh please, call me Hodge."

I just smiled slightly and nodded once.

I was always used to calling my teachers by their surnames but I guess I would get used to this.

"Well, come with me and I will get one of the other students here to give you a tour of the school. Classes start next week and you'll need to be prepared. This school is rather large," Hodge said as he turned and led us back up the stairs.

"One second," he said as he paused outside what I assumed was his office considering the door had 'Principal' written across it.

He went inside and came back a few seconds later. "This is your introductory booklet and a map of school. I suggest you take a look at them and select the rest of your courses before the weekend," he said as he handed me the book and map.

I just nodded and we continued up the hall.

Since it was a weekend not many students were still in the school but occasionally, a few students would walk past, either going out or returning.

We took the elevator up a few floors and after walking down the hall a bit, Hodge came to a stop.

"This is your dorm," he said, knocking briefly before opening the door.

"Hi Hodge," a girl said, looking up from a book.

She had light brown skin and brown hair. I also noticed she had dark brown eyes. She honestly looked beautiful. She was prettier than me; that was for sure.

I was short and pale with red hair that constantly liked to be uncontrollable and barely any curves.

"Maia," Hodge said with a nod. "This is Clary, she's going to be your new roommate. "Could you give her a tour of the school later please?"

"Sure thing. Welcome to Idris Academy Clary," Maia said as I brought in my bags with the help of my mom and brother.

"Thanks," I replied.

I said goodbye to my mom and brother before they left with Hodge. I then started to unpack after briefly taking in the dorm.

There was, of course, the main area which was where we slept, there was a bathroom off to the left and on the far wall was a small kitchen set up.

"So, what are you here for? Like, what course were you taking that got you a scholarship?" Maia asked from her bed.

"Art," I replied. "Although I don't see why I got a scholarship for it... my mom is way better than me," I said with a slight laugh as I put some of my clothes into the dresser on my side of the room.

"I wish I was good at art... I honestly can't even draw a stick figure," Maia laughed.

I couldn't help but laugh along with her.

Once I was finished unpacking, I sighed and sat down on the bed to start reading through the introduction booklet that Hodge had given me.

_Dear student,_

_Welcome to Idris Academy, the school for only the best students. Since you've been accepted into this school, you must have exceptional talent in one or more of your non-compulsory subjects or activities._

_At Idris Academy, we will strive to help you improve your skills and talent by enrolling you in more advanced classes._

_Of course, you still have to study English and Maths as we are still a school._

_You can decide to take any other subjects you like but you must study a minimum of six._

_I'll let you get on with the rest of this book now._

_Hodge._

I sighed and flipped to the next page.

I had to admit, they had some pretty interesting courses here. Of course, they had English and Maths and Art and all your usual subjects and they had the sports teams but they also had self defence classes, book clubs and everything.

I decided I would take up a home-economics class as well as geography and gym.

I also decided I would take a look at the self defence class as Mom had always wanted to get me into that sort of thing.

If I didn't like it, I wouldn't take part but if it looked interesting, I would give it a try.

**A/N: And that's the end of chapter one of Emeralds! I hope you enjoyed it. Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Clary's POV

"Hey Clary, how about I show you around the school?" Maia asked a little later in the day.

I looked up from my sketchbook and nodded. "Yeah. That would probably be a good idea... from what I've seen from the outside and from what I've been told, it's pretty big," I said.

"If I said you were wrong, I'd be lying," Maia said as we walked out the door.

"So basically, this is the girls' dorm section," Maia said as we walked down the hall. "On the next floor up, are the boys' dorms. Before 8am and after 8pm, boys aren't allowed on this floor and we aren't allowed on the boys' floor. If you are and you get caught, you'll be in a whole lot of trouble, trust me, I know from experience."

I just nodded and followed Maia back towards the elevator and we went down a floor.

"So this floor is the classrooms and the one below us is more classrooms and the principal's office. Pretty boring but it helps to know where you'll be having class I guess," she said as she started to tell me which classes were taught in each room before we went down the stairs to the ground floor again.

"This is the ground floor, as you would know. This is basically an area for students to interact and hang out considering its large open area. Those doors over there lead to the cafeteria which is mainly only used for lunch as many people just go out and buy or make their own food in the kitchen area of the dorms. You aren't allowed to leave the school grounds at lunch time so you either have to make food or buy it. The cafeteria does offer all meals though. If you don't want to eat cafeteria food, you'll have to buy your lunch early in the morning or after school and stash it somewhere. I have a mini fridge in our room that you are more than welcome to use. I wouldn't make you eat that disgusting cafeteria food. Those doors lead to the study hall and over here would have to be one of my favourite places in the school," Maia said as she led me over to a door at the back of the building. She opened it and we stepped outside in a cosy courtyard.

"It's not too big and not many students come out here but it's the perfect place to just be alone and think or read or something."

"It's beautiful..." I said.

There was a small stone bench against the wall and another opposite it. The ground was paved with bricks and the whole area was enclosed by a white lattice fence that was covered in vines growing small purple, yellow and deep pink flowers. "I'm going to have to draw this," I said in awe.

"I'd love to see that when you finish it. I'll admit, I was watching you draw earlier and you're really good. Don't doubt your talent. It will only bring you down and you won't be able to give your best effort," Maia said as we turned and went back inside. "That door over there leads to the fields and courts that are used for gym and the students that are here on sports scholarships."

Maia and I continued to talk as we went back up in the elevator. "Above the boys floor is where all the out of school hours classes and groups are held. You know, things such as the self defense classes and clubs and everything."

"Sounds... confusing... and very big..." I said with a laugh.

"Don't worry, you'll get used it," Maia replied.

We stepped out of the elevator and walked up the hall.

"As you can see, every door up here is clearly labelled. That's where the cheerleaders practice... that's where the boys play video games – some girls join in as well of course... that's another place where students can go to relax... oh, that's the library. I completely forgot that was on this floor. It's pretty big," Maia said as she walked into the library with me close behind.

She was right. The library was huge. In the centre of the room was a desk and books covered every wall. To my right was a set of stairs and suddenly feeling curious, I started to climb them with Maia following.

"This level has books that teach you more than anything. Like here, these are books on history and over there are the geography books and up here are biographies," Maia said.

"Oh, I found books on different art techniques," I said as I pulled a book out.

I heard Maia chuckle. "This library has everything. If you need anything, you can always just search it up on the computer down then and you'll be able to find it in moments."

I just nodded and put the book back on the shelf. I wasn't ready for getting books out just yet as I was still just settling in and the book I had picked up was only telling me things I already knew.

"Check out the view from up here," Maia called from one of the windows.

I walked over to her and climbed up onto the window seat and peered out of the large window.

"Whoa... that's awesome. You can see all of New York," I said.

Again, this was something I would have to draw.

"I know... there's Central Park over there," Maia said, pointing to the East.

I laughed and looked around. "No way... I can actually see my house. I'm not joking," I said as my eyes fell on the familiar house behind my old school. It wasn't very obvious, but I knew the location and found it easy to spot.

"Really? Where?" Maia asked.

"Well, see that school over there?" I asked, pointing straight out the window.

"Yeah," Maia said after a moment.

"Well, that house behind it with the white fence is my house," I said.

Maia laughed. "Now that's cool," she said.

Once we had finished talking about what we could see, Maia and I headed out of the library.

"Okay... there's one more thing I have to show you before we go back to our room," Maia said as we walked up a set of stairs towards what I assumed was the attic.

"Now... students aren't meant to come up here but we do... when teachers aren't looking of course. I remember last year... it was the day before finals and everyone in my class camped out up here. We would slowly sneak up here after classes finished and in the morning, we all just waited for the teachers to start freaking out because no one showed up. One of my friends set up cameras in our classrooms and it was just the funniest thing. Once the teachers had gone down to Hodge's office to tell him everyone was missing we all ran back to the classroom and made the teachers think they were going insane. It was definitely funny," Maia said, laughing.

I laughed along with her. "Won't we get in trouble for being up here?" I asked after a moment.

"Only if we get caught... and you're new... I'll be the one getting in trouble for bringing you up here if we get caught... I can always just say I was telling you we weren't allowed up here," Maia said. "This place is also another great area to hang out in if you want to be alone."

"Exactly... and I want to be alone right now so leave please," a silky voice said from somewhere in the room.

My eyes scanned the area before they fell on the person the voice had come from.

He was about my age, maybe a little older and he had silky blonde hair. When he looked up, I got a better look. I saw – even with the distance between us – that he had gold eyes and high cheekbones.

He had a strong facial structure overall and he was really good looking. He looked so perfect to be honest.

Seriously, how could a person be so perfect?

"Alright... sorry. I didn't realize you were in here," Maia replied as she grabbed my wrist and backed up, keeping her eyes on the teenage boy across the room.

Was he dangerous? Was that why she was watching him?

And who was he?

**A/N: Review please!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Clary's POV

The school tour took up a fair amount of time to be honest and by the time Maia and I got back to our room, it was almost time for dinner.

"Have you heard of Taki's?" Maia asked as she grabbed a coat out of her closet.

"To be honest, no, I haven't," I replied.

Maia turned to look at me.

"Well, let me tell you now, it's a great restaurant. I'm going to Taki's with a few of my friends for dinner. Would you like to join us?"

"Sure," I replied, grabbing my coat and following Maia out.

I wasn't too keen to meet others at the moment but it would help me to fit in and make friends so I decided to go.

"There you are Maia," A girl said as we walked down onto the ground floor. "We've been waiting for you. Oh, who's this?"

"This is Clary, she's new here," Maia replied. "Clary, this is Isabelle."

"Nice to meet you," I said.

Isabelle was tall and slender with long black hair and dark eyes. She was the complete opposite of me and I was jealous.

"Hey Lightwood," some guy whistled as he walked past us and up the stairs.

Isabelle just rolled her eyes.

"Anyway... that's Alec, Isabelle's brother, that's Jordan, my boyfriend and that's Aline." Maia continued.

Alec looked so much like Isabelle you would have to be blind to think they weren't siblings. One of the only differences between Alec and Isabelle was the fact that Alec had gorgeous blue eyes.

Jordan was tall and slim but muscular. He had high cheekbones and startling hazel-green eyes. He was very handsome; I could see why Maia liked him. Of course, relationships were based off more than looks though.

Aline had black hair that was but just above her shoulders and dark eyes but she didn't seem as confident as Isabelle and Jordan. She appeared to be a little shy – more like Alec.

"Alright... let's get to Taki's before they run out of tables," Maia said with a laugh as we all started walking out the door.

* * *

Maia had been right.

Taki's was a great restaurant.

The food was amazing, the staff were kind... everything about this restaurant was amazing.

Isabelle was definitely more confident than the others. She had launched right into a conversation with me and the others slowly began to join in.

I had to admit, these guys would make really good friends.

When we got back to the school we all went our separate ways.

"So, what did you think of Taki's?" Maia asked.

"It was great... better than any restaurant I've ever been to," I admitted.

"I know right. We go there all the time even if we're not going to eat."

I laughed slightly.

I had only been here for a day but I already felt welcomed and settled in.

After a while, I soon found myself in bed, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

I woke up the next morning after a very strange dream.

It had been of that boy Maia and I had seen in the attic.

He was suddenly all I could think about.

I shook my head to clear it and got out of bed.

I looked over to the other side of the room and noticed Maia was no longer in her bed.

When I looked at the time, I realized why. It was after 9am.

Again, I shook my head and went into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.

Once I was finished, I walked out of the bathroom and stood in the middle of the room.

I briefly remembered the school tour from yesterday but I still needed to memorize everything so I went over to my dresser and picked up the school map.

As I was looking at it, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders before a voice made me jump.

"Boo!"

I jumped and spun around to see Maia laughing.

I just sighed.

"Can't remember where to go?" she asked.

"Yeah... and I was trying to figure out where you'd be," I replied as I set the map down on my dresser again.

"Well... you probably wouldn't have found me... I was out running with Jordan."

"Oh," I replied. "Well... I need food."

"The cafeteria is serving pancakes this morning... they're actually pretty good... you've probably got ten minutes before they get rid of whatever's left over."

I just nodded once and headed out towards the elevator so I could go get some breakfast.

To my surprise, there were quite a few students in the cafeteria.

As I headed over to buy some breakfast, I noticed the blonde boy from the attic picking away at a bagel.

He had long slender fingers – much like a pianists – and he looked as if he was concentrating on something and not focusing on what he was doing.

He glanced up and my eyes locked with his. I quickly looked away and ordered my food before taking it over to a table.

* * *

I eventually found myself in the dorm again with my sketchbook perched upon my knees.

I knew I was drawing but I hadn't really been focusing on it until now.

I took in the lines of the drawing, studying the details when I suddenly realized I had been drawing the blonde boy sitting in the cafeteria.

It didn't look right though.

Normally, if there was a small mistake, I wouldn't mind too much but I just couldn't get the angles of his face right. I tore out the piece of paper, scrunched it up and threw it on the floor.

It was now that I realized there were quite a few pieces of paper near my bed, all scrunched up.

Maia walked in a moment later.

"What's with the paper on the floor?" she asked as she walked over a picked a piece up, carefully flattening it out.

"Whoa... you're good..." she said, picking up another piece of paper.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"What?" Maia asked looking up.

I pointed at the piece of paper. "Who is he? I don't know why I'm drawing him. He's just... stuck in my head and I don't know who he is," I said.

"Oh," Maia said. "He's Jace Herondale or 'The Golden Boy' as a lot people call him. He gets in every girl's head. He's a player though. He doesn't care about others feelings and well... he just uses girls and then dumps them before they can blink. No one really knows a lot about him other than Alec Lightwood."

Jace Herondale; the name suited him. It was perfect, just like he was.

"I don't blame you if you like him. Every girl wants him. We had a girl faint in class once because he asked her a question. It was quite funny if you ask me," Maia said.

"I don't like him... he just... whatever," I said.

Maia just chuckled.

I wanted to know more about Jace Herondale.

I had to know more.

**A/N: Review please! Clace interaction coming next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Clary's POV

The week before school had passed rather quickly and Maia and I had become closer although I wouldn't classify us as friends just yet, we were definitely getting there.

She was kind and caring and she managed to make me laugh. Simon was about the only other person that could do that. She would make a great friend but at the moment, I just classified Maia as my acquaintance.

Isabelle was also growing on me but I didn't like the fact she kept trying to change my style. It was honestly a little annoying.

I wasn't the girl that wore dresses and skirts. I preferred t-shirts and jeans.

I walked down the hall towards my first class – English.

Maia wasn't in this class with me and neither was Alec, Isabelle, Jordan or Aline.

I walked through the door and sat in the first empty seat I could find, keeping my head down.

As I waited for the teacher and the rest of the class to arrive, I pulled my notebook out of my bag and began randomly sketching on the cover, just as I always did.

Many of my notebooks from previous years were covered in drawings – this included the pages that held my notes.

I could hear feet shuffling on the floor as more students arrived and I swore I could feel their eyes rest upon me.

Many of the students here had been here for a long while and from what I could understand, new students weren't a common thing so naturally, I was going to be the centre of attention.

I noticed someone sit down beside me but I didn't dare to look up.

I continued to draw in my notebook until the teacher walked in and started writing her name on the board.

When she did, I shut my notebook and looked up.

Luckily, she didn't ask me to introduce myself to the class.

"As you know, I'm not an overly strict teacher and I'm not going to give you all a lot of work like some of your other teachers might. Today, I'm just going to let you get to know the student sitting next to you considering you will be sitting near them for the entire term," she said.

Many of the students seemed happy with this idea, considering the fact they all hissed either 'yes' or 'yay'.

"You're the best Mrs Branwell," some guy said from the back of the room.

So that was her name; Mrs Branwell.

I sighed and slowly turned my head to see who was sitting next to me.

My eyes met his and the whole world seemed to disappear in that moment.

Sitting beside me was Jace, his golden eyes staring down into mine.

"Jace Herondale, you are?" he asked, his voice stiff and cold.

I was shocked at his tone.

I mean, sure, he didn't know me but he could be kind.

"Clary Fray," I replied after a few seconds of silence.

Jace just nodded once and he was silent for a moment.

"So you like to draw?" he asked eventually as his eyes left my face and dropped to my notebook.

"Yeah," I replied. "I'm actually here because of my art... what are you here for?" I asked.

"Other than my outstanding good looks and charming personality? My music; I play piano," Jace replied.

I forced myself to hide my smile. He did have outstanding good looks with his gorgeous blonde hair, golden eyes and angular features but a charming personality? No; he was still being cold towards me – his voice still held that stiff tone. It was as if he didn't want to talk to me.

"How long have you been playing the piano?" I asked out of mere curiosity.

"Since I was five," he replied staring down at the desk as he drummed his fingers against it.

"That's a long time..." I said.

He just nodded once.

"How long have you been drawing?" Jace asked, his voice still holding that stiff, cold tone.

"Ever since I could hold a pencil," I replied.

I swear I saw him actually crack a smile at that point.

"I mean how long have you being doing art. How long have you been drawing like this?" he asked as he gestured to my notebook.

"I don't know. A few years I guess... my mother's an artist and I picked this up from her. I started taking it seriously when I was about ten."

"You're not bad. I'll give you that..."

I just smiled slightly. That was a compliment... kind of.

Jace avoided looking at me while he spoke and for most of the lesson, he was quiet. He would answer my questions with sarcastic comments or he wouldn't answer at all. I hardly got an honest answer out of him today.

When the bell rang, letting us know it was time to move on to our next class, Jace was up and out of his seat in a second and he was walking out the door before I could even get my notebook back into my bag.

I watched as he walked away.

He seemed stiff – just like his voice had been.

Did I say something that upset him?

No; I didn't. I was sure I hadn't said anything that could affect him.

Maybe it was just what he was like. Maybe he was just cold and stiff to all new people he met?

I shook my head and stood up, walking out of the classroom and towards the next class.

Throughout the entire day Jace was one of the only things on my mind.

I was barely even paying attention to the classes.

Apparently, Maia had noticed this as she approached me once we were both in our dorm.

"What's been up with you today? You've been like, spaced out or something," she said.

"I've just had something on my mind," I replied as I dumped my homework on my bed.

Yep... first day back at school and some teacher had decided homework had to be given out.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Maia asked. Like I said, she was caring.

"There's not much to say," I said.

"Really? Because it seems as if you've really been thinking about whatever's going in there," she said, tapping my head once.

I laughed once.

"I mean... it's just Jace," I replied.

"What about him?" Maia asked.

"He's in my English class and Mrs Blackthorn said that we were just going to get to know the student sitting next to us and Jace happened to be sitting next to me. He was acting... stiff and cold. It was like he didn't want to be there," I said.

Maia rolled her eyes slightly. "Jace is stiff and cold to everyone. He hardly lets anyone into his life and well... he doesn't have many friends; not that I know of anyway. His only friend is Alec Lightwood, as I've said before. The only other person that he's remotely close to is Isabelle and that's because she's related to Alec, you know? He treats Isabelle and Alec like siblings more than anything," she explained.

"So he just isn't very social?" I asked.

"No. He doesn't seem to be," Maia replied as she went back over to her bed.

I just nodded. "Well... I'll deal with homework later. I'm going to check out this self defence class and see what it's like," I said as I started walking out the door.

"Alright... don't forget to do the homework though... Mr Aldertree is very strict with stuff like that," Maia said.

I nodded again and made my way up to the room the self defence classes were held in.

They had already started by the time I got up there so I quietly walked in and stood at the back of the room with the two other students that were watching the class.

One was Alec Lightwood; the other was a girl I didn't know.

She was taller than me with long, silky blonde hair that hung to about the middle of her back and she had startling blue eyes – kind of like Alec's but they were just a bit darker.

Her skin was pale and seemed flawless.

I had to admit. She looked better than me but then again, pretty much every girl looked better than me.

I looked out over the students that were taking the class.

I could see a few familiar faces from some of my classes but I didn't know any names.

One person stood out from the rest of the students though.

He was standing on the other side of the room while a couple of the girls sparred in the middle of the open area.

He was looking straight at me; his golden eyes narrowed and his mouth was a tight line.

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, I decided to leave the room.

I didn't care that I had barely seen anything; I couldn't handle Jace's judging glare.

What did I ever do to him?

**A/N: So Jace is being a bit rude... will he warm up to Clary? Surprise coming next chapter! Review please!**

**Oh! BTW, once I update chapter 7, I will be changing my name/username to Aussie Herondale, just so you guys know.**

**And if you guys are wondering what I picture the rooms, characters etc to look like, check out my pinterest! (Link on my profile)  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here is your surprise for this chapter... Jace's POV! Enjoy a little look into our favourite Golden Boy's mind!**

Jace's POV

I watched as Clary walked out of the room.

There was something different about her; something that made my heart race.

I had only seen her a few times but every time she came into my line of sight, I got nervous - something that never happened to me.

That first time I saw her – in the attic – I felt a connection and ever since then, she'd been on my mind every second of every day.

I was denying the fact I was in love though. I wasn't; I couldn't be.

Love only ever ends in heartbreak – I've learned from experience.

It was years ago now but I've had my heart broken and I never wanted to experience that pain again so I closed myself off from everyone.

The only people I trusted were Alec and Isabelle Lightwood and of course their parents and my parents.

I had grown up with Alec and therefore, I had grown up with Isabelle. They were like siblings to me.

The Lightwood family was like my family.

I shook my head to clear it and focused on the self defence class.

When it was my turn to spar, I was happy.

This was my way of relaxing. If I needed to calm down and blow off some steam, I would either spar with someone who was willing or I would go to the gym and take my emotions out on the equipment there – like the boxing bag.

All too soon, the self defence class was over and my mind managed to wander back to Clary.

Her face was burned into my mind – fiery red curls that hung down over her shoulders, bright green eyes, adorable freckles splayed across her cheeks-

I shook my head again.

Love ended in heartbreak; unimaginable pain.

I walked into my dorm with Alec following and shut the door before flopping down on my bed.

"What's up with you?" Alec asked.

"Nothing," I replied, trying to keep my head clear of anything related to Clary.

Nope... there I go again.

I groaned and sat up.

I hated her for this – invading my mind and distracting me from everything else.

She was just a girl, like half of the human population. Why was I so intrigued by her? Why was she getting stuck in my mind?

"Jace, seriously. What's up with you?" Alec asked again.

I debated whether or not to tell him. Yes, he was like a brother to me and I knew I could trust him but he had friends other than me. Would he let something slip accidently to one of them and would they tell Clary? Would he let something slip right in front of the beautiful red-head?

I shook my head again, trying to get her out of my mind.

I looked up to see Alec just staring at me, waiting for an answer.

Maybe telling him wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe it would help me clear my head and possibly forget about Clary?

I just groaned as various thoughts ran through my mind – all about Clary.

"Jace Herondale. What is going on in that blonde head of yours?" Alec asked, taking a step closer.

I sighed. He was going to push until he got something out of me – just like always.

It would be best to just tell him the truth I guess. It would save getting into trouble later on.

"That new girl..." I said.

"Clary? What about her?" Alec asked.

"I can't stop thinking about her... I don't know what to do. I mean... to love is to destroy and to be loved is to be the one destroyed. I don't believe in love... yes, I believe in having a relationship but I just don't believe in love. It always ends in pain for at least one person."

Alec just looked at me for a second.

"You can't avoid love forever Jace... you need to trust someone. Give them the benefit of the doubt," Alec said.

I just raised an eyebrow at Alec.

"You can speak," I said sarcastically.

Alec narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I'm in a different situation than you Jace," he said.

I just sighed. I was one of the only people, other than Isabelle of course, that knew of Alec's sexuality due to the fact he wasn't very open about it.

"Sorry Alec... I just don't want to trust her... I can't. If anything, she'll break my heart before I break hers," I said.

"You'll figure out what to do," Alec said. "You'll do the right thing... you always do," he continued before walking out of the room.

I sighed.

Was he right?

Sure... I guess I always ended up doing the right thing in the end but it was always a long journey and there was always bumps and twists along the way.

It was in this moment that I realized I wanted to give Clary a chance but I honestly didn't know how.

Sure, I dated plenty of girls in the past but I always kept up walls to avoid letting them in to destroy me later on.

How would I go about approaching Clary? Would I be able to without messing up?

For the first time in a long while, I didn't know what to do; I didn't know how to act and approach this situation.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.

I knew what I wanted in the long run but this was going to be one heck of a journey – and quite possibly one heck of a challenge – to reach my goal.

**A/N: And there's the end of chapter 5! Oh, and since City of Heavenly Fire comes out in just a few days, I thought I would say this: I don't think I will be getting the book any time soon – I might get it in a few weeks, I don't know - so until I say that I've read it, please don't say anything about the book. That would be appreciated.**

**What did you think of Jace's POV? Should I do another one in the future? Let me know! Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Clary's POV

After Jace's reaction to seeing me upstairs, I had gone straight back to my dorm and slammed the door shut.

Jace had absolutely no right to be acting the way he was.

After just standing behind the door for a moment I had walked over to my bed, grabbing my iPod, sketchpad and pencils on the way.

I put my headphones on and turned up the volume, attempting to block out the world around me.

Absentmindedly, I had started drawing, my pencil gliding across the paper.

Taking time to study my drawing, I realized what it was.

The angular jaw-line, the long eyelashes, the toned arms – the picture of a person who was too perfect to actually exist; it all added up to one person.

Frustrated, I tore the drawing of Jace out of my sketchpad and crumpled it up.

I threw the crumpled up paper across the room just as the door opened.

The ball of paper flew past Maia's head and rebounded off the opposite wall, landing on the ground in the hall.

Maia stared back over her shoulder at the ball of paper before she turned back around and walked into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"What's up with you?" Maia asked as I took my headphones off.

"Sorry..." I said. "I went to check out the self defence class and Jace was there... he just... he was glaring at me and I've done nothing to him..."

"What a jerk," Maia said. "He has no right to treat you that way. He doesn't even know you."

"Exactly," I said.

"What did throw before?" Maia asked, glancing back at the door.

"I was drawing Jace... and it frustrated me so I tore the page out of my book and threw it," I said.

"Nice," Maia said.

I just got up and opened the door to pick up the piece of paper but it was gone.

I frowned and looked down the hall but I couldn't see the paper anywhere.

I walked back into the room, confused.

"What's up?" Maia asked.

"The piece of paper is gone..." I said.

"Maybe someone picked it up and threw it out," Maia said with a shrug.

I shrugged as well.

I would've thrown it out anyway.

Before I knew it, the rest of the day had passed and I was lying in bed.

One of the last things I saw in my mind before I fell asleep was Jace's judging glare.

* * *

I woke up the next morning and changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a blue and white striped shirt.

After pulling on my sneakers, I made my way to the cafeteria to get something to eat before class.

I sighed.

I wasn't looking forward to English.

As I made my way towards the classroom I could feel myself growing more and more nervous.

I walked through the door and saw Jace sitting at the desk.

I just took a breath and walked over, sitting down beside him.

I glanced over at him but he wasn't looking at me – yet anyway.

Slowly, the rest of the class started to walk into the room, followed by Mrs Branwell.

I reached into my bag and pulled out my notebook, ready for class to start.

A few times throughout class, I noticed Jace's eyes flick towards me. They would linger for a few seconds and then they would dart back to the board.

I tried my hardest to ignore him but it proved to be easier said than done.

"Do you have a problem?" I asked Jace quietly when I caught him glancing towards me once again.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't act stupid," I mumbled. "I can see you. You're constantly looking over at me or my stuff and it's getting annoying."

"Is there a problem?" Mrs Branwell asked, looking over at Jace and me.

I quickly flicked my gaze to Jace for a second before replying.

"No," I said.

"Good... no talking in my class please," Mrs Branwell said before returning her attention to the board.

I just nodded and continued to focus on the lesson, ignoring Jace who was now glaring at me.

Before, his gaze seemed to be soft. Now it was hard and judging again.

When the bell rang, I was relieved.

I quickly gathered my stuff and headed to my next class.

The day seemed to pass slowly and I was glad when I found myself sitting in art class.

Art was one of the only things that helped me relax.

I picked up my pencil when class started and let the tip of it glide across the paper, carefully drawing the outline of my picture before moving to work on more of the finer details.

"That's very good Clary," my teacher said as she walked around the class, looking over the students work and giving them tips on how to improve certain aspects of the art.

I smiled. "Thank you," I said before returning to my work.

When the final bell rang, I packed up my stuff and headed back to my dorm.

When I walked in, Maia was sitting on her bed with a pile of homework.

"Homework sucks," she said as I put my bag down and pulled out my own homework.

"I agree... I don't think I ever asked you Maia... but what did you get accepted for?"

"Track," Maia replied. "I was top in my school... I made to state championships and lost by one place."

"Wow... that's great... not that you lost; it's great that you made it to state championships," I said.

"Yeah... I hope I can make it to nationals one day. Maybe I could even become part of the Olympics one year," Maia said, a wistful smile on her face.

"If you keep training, I'm sure you'll make it to the Olympics. You'll probably even get the gold," I said.

"That would be a dream come true," Maia said. "What do you hope to accomplish?"

"I hope to get my artwork published one day. You know, illustrate a book; get it in a museum like Da Vinci and Van Gogh.

"I'm sure you can do that, if you're current drawings are anything to go by... they're amazing," Maia said as she gestured to my sketchbook that had fallen out of my bag.

I just smiled and then started on my homework.

**A/N: And there is chapter 6! Review Please! **

**Reminder: After I update the next chapter, I will be changing my name/username to Aussie Herondale.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Clary's POV

By the time I had finished my homework, it was almost 8pm.

Maia had gone to meet up with Aline for something and I decided to go get something to eat.

I checked out the cafeteria first but nothing seemed very appetizing so I went back to my dorm, grabbed my dark blue coat and headed back downstairs to check out one of the restaurants since I wasn't in the mood to cook my own food.

As long as I was back at the school by 8:30pm, would be fine. If I arrived any later, I would have to show my school ID and then I would get in trouble for being out after curfew.

We were allowed up after 8:30pm, but we weren't allowed out of the school after that time.

I caught a cab into the main part of New York and made my way into Taki's.

Ever since Maia introduced me to this place, I had fallen in love with it.

The food here was amazing.

I decided to order something I could take back to the school. I didn't want to risk being out too late.

I decided to order a container of chicken and rice.

I gave a waitress my order and waited for my food to come back.

Once my food was ready, I paid for it and headed back out to the sidewalk to hail a cab.

Three cabs passed before one finally stopped.

I climbed in and gave the driver the address of the school.

We arrived a few minutes later and I paid the driver before climbing out of the cab and rushing up the steps with my food.

I looked at the clock on the wall when I walked back into the school and saw that it was now 8:21pm.

"Nine minutes to spare," I said to myself as I walked up the stairs and went to the elevator so I could go back up to my dorm.

After eating my food and tidying up my side of the dorm a bit, I decided to go for a walk and see what some of the other students were doing.

We still had another half an hour before we all had to be in our dorms and I knew that there were students still hanging around in various places of the school.

I soon found myself wandering around the ground floor.

While I was there, I heard something coming from the direction of the gym so I walked over and opened the door slightly.

I noticed that the lights were on and a few seconds later I found the source of the noise.

I stared across the gym at Jace – I mean, how could you not stare? He was shirtless.

The muscles in his back and arms were tensed as he constantly threw punches at the punching bag with rapid speed.

I leaned against the door frame, unable to take my eyes off the blonde boy across the room.

I wanted to leave but I couldn't bring myself to do so.

I don't know how long I stood there but before I knew it Jace was standing still, just watching the punching bag swing slightly as it recovered from the beating he had just delivered to it.

A moment later, he turned to the back of the room, walked over to the bench seat and picked up a water bottle.

After another moment, he turned around and went to walk back to the punching bag. This is when his eyes fell on me standing in the doorway.

I went still for a moment and despite the fact Jace was walking towards me with what appeared to be an angry glare on his face I couldn't get my feet to move.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, stopping about a few feet away from me, his eyes narrowed.

"Am I not allowed to be here?" I asked.

"No," Jace replied harshly.

I looked away for a moment before looking back at Jace. "Who says I can't be here? You? You don't make the rules here. You don't own the school," I said.

Jace just narrowed his eyes even more.

"I come here to be alone," Jace said, his voice hard and cold. "You need to leave."

"I'm not bothering you. I'm just standing here. Why do I have to leave?" I asked.

"Because I said you have to."

"That's not an answer," I said, shaking my head slightly.

"Just leave," Jace said, growling almost.

As he was speaking I noticed something on his left shoulder – something that was a bit lighter than the rest of his slightly tanned body.

Curious, I took a step closer to him to get a better look at the mark, ignoring the shocked look that appeared on his face as I moved.

I was extremely close to him now – even closer than when we sat beside each other in English class – and that fact made my heart rate speed up.

Slowly, I lifted my arm and lightly touched the mark on Jace's shoulder.

I felt – and saw – Jace go stiff as my finger lightly touched his skin.

It was now that I noticed the mark on his shoulder was a white-ink tattoo in the shape of a star.

I never really saw a white-ink tattoo. I'd seen them in pictures before, but never close up like this.

I only got to look at it for a mere second before Jace took a large step backwards, almost making me fall forwards.

I stumbled slightly.

It was now that I realized I had been actually leaning against him.

"Just leave," Jace said harshly, his hand now covering the small tattoo on his left shoulder.

I quickly turned and walked out of the gym, feeling my cheeks burn.

I hadn't meant to lean against him. I only wanted a closer look at the tattoo but considering the fact that I was just so short, I had to stand on my toes to see it properly. I guess I had been using Jace as a support so I didn't fall over.

I quickly made my way back to my dorm to change and go to bed.

**A/N: Yes... I had to put the star on Jace... Throughout this story, you will see little things that are references to the TMI books. If you have anything from the TMI books that you would like to see me try and make a reference to, let me know in the reviews!**

**And... HEAVENLY FIRE COMES OUT TOMORROW! Even though I won't be getting the book for another month, I'm still super excited! Who else is fangirling? I know I am! I have so many theories for this book and I am just so eager to read it!**

**BTW, as I have said in the last few chapters, I am changing my username. I am now Aussie Herondale as you can probably see...**

**Review Please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: First of all, I couldn't do it... changing my username was too weird for me so I changed it back to Renesmee4eva...**

**Secondly... some replies to reviews... **

**RainbowReads: I forgot to put this in the last chapter. I don't think there is any significance to the title of this story. I was simply looking for pictures of Lily/Clary to use for another story cover when I came across the one I have used for this story's cover and when I saw it, I immediately thought "Emeralds" and then the idea for this story popped into my head... don't ask me why... my brain works in a weird way.. lol.**

**KyKat – Jace will start to warm up to Clary soon... in fact, something may or may not be revealed in this chapter... not saying anymore.**

**TheMortalCup – hmm... I've only written up Chapter 9 at the moment but from what I have planned, I believe there will be a small Clace scene in chapter 10 and there will be bigger Clace scenes in chapters 12 and 13.**

**Alright... enough of my long A/N... you guys probably want to read this chapter...**

**You guys wanted some more of Jace's POV, so here you go! This chapter backtracks just a bit... enjoy!**

Chapter 8

Jace's POV

After delivering a beating to the punching bag, I walked over to the bench seats at the back of the gym and grabbed my water bottle.

I stood there for a moment, slowing my breathing slightly before turning around.

I was about to walk back to the punching bag but I stopped moving for a second when my eyes caught sight of that familiar fiery red hair.

There she was, casually leaning against the doorway in a pair of dark jeans, a blue and white striped shirt and a blue coat, her eyes seemingly locked on me.

Honestly, I nearly caved right there.

No. I wasn't going to tell her how I felt. Not now anyway.

I started walking towards her, a glare slowly making its way onto my face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, stopping a few feet away from Clary.

"Am I not allowed to be here?" she asked.

"No," I replied harshly. I hadn't meant for it to come out harsh; it just did.

Clary looked away for a moment before turning and raising her eyes to meet mine. "Who says I can't be here? You? You don't make the rules here. You don't own the school," she said, her voice taking on a slightly cold tone.

"I come here to be alone," I said. "You need to leave."

"I'm not bothering you. I'm just standing here. Why do I have to leave?" Clary asked, still standing in the doorway stubbornly.

"Because I said you have to," I replied as I took a breath to try and remain calm. I didn't deal with stubbornness well.

"That's not an answer," Clary said, shaking her head but keeping her eyes on me. Her fiery red curls bounced slightly at the small movement of her head.

"Just leave," I said, a growl rising in my chest.

Before I could blink, Clary had taken a few steps and was now standing extremely close to me.

I was momentarily shocked by this and I'm almost certain that it showed.

Clary lifted her arm and a mere second later, I felt her touch my shoulder and a shock ran through my body at the contact.

I felt her hand press against my chest, her hair brushing against my skin slightly and she stood up on her toes.

She smelled like strawberries and watermelon – something that reminded me of summer.

It was now that I realized she was looking at the tattoo on my left shoulder.

Ignoring the fact that she was basically leaning against me, I took a large step backwards, almost making her fall over.

"Just leave," I said harshly as she regained her balance.

She didn't argue this time.

She just turned and walked out of the gym.

Once she was gone, I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and went back to the punching bag, delivering another beating.

I'd almost caved several times tonight.

I wasn't ready to admit my feelings – I didn't know if I'd ever be ready.

Heartbreak was my biggest fear and I knew that if I ever wanted to conquer it, I would have to trust someone with my heart but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I would never hurt Clary – I knew that much – but I just didn't know what she was like. I mean, would she hurt me?

What sort of person was she?

I only knew what she looked like and I knew a little about her past thanks to Mrs Branwell.

I let out another breath as my fist collided with the punching bag.

I hadn't really answered her questions honestly and I felt a little bag about that now.

Clary basically knew nothing about me and I was being a total jerk to her every day.

I didn't want to make her feel bad but it was my way of avoiding being hurt again.

Sure, Clary was sweet and seemed caring but was that who she really was?

She wouldn't like me anyway because I was acting like a total jerk.

My best route right now would be to try and become her friend.

Maybe I still had a chance.

I delivered another few punches to the bag before I ended up splitting the skin on my knuckles.

I just shook my hand.

That will teach me not to wear gloves.

I walked back over to the bench seat and grabbed my water bottle before heading out of the gym, switching off the lights as I left.

I made my way to the elevator and waited for it to arrive before going up to the dorms.

When the elevator groaned to a stop, I walked out into the hall and up to my dorm.

Alec was already in the room packing up his homework so I just walked straight into the bathroom and locked the door before turning on the shower.

I undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water relax me.

I got out a few minutes later, dried off and pulled on a pair of sweat pants before walking out of the bathroom.

"I swear I will throw ice water over you if you used up all the hot water," Alec said as I walked out of the bathroom.

"I better run then," I said sarcastically as Alec shut the bathroom door.

I heard Alec chuckle.

It was nice being able to share a room with someone I knew and got along with.

I ran a hand through my damp hair before climbing into my bed and pulling the covers over me.

* * *

The rest of the week had passed rather quickly and I still found myself giving Clary the cold shoulder.

I didn't like it.

I wanted to be her friend – I wanted to be more than just her friend.

I wanted to be someone that meant something to her – someone she would care about.

I wanted to be someone she loved and trusted but that wasn't going to happen if I continued to act the way I did.

If I wanted anything to happen between us I would have to stop acting like a jerk towards her and become her friend.

And my window of opportunity was closing.

It had only been two weeks since I first saw Clary but those two weeks saw me being a jerk towards someone that meant so much to me, even though I hardly knew her.

It was about 11am on Saturday morning when I walked down the stairs onto the ground floor and saw something I didn't really want to see.

Standing beside Clary was a guy – probably about as tall as me – with brown hair and glasses.

And Clary had her arms around him.

**A/N: And there is the end of chapter 8! Did you enjoy Jace's POV? Review Please!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Clary's POV

I took a step away from Simon after a moment, letting my arms drop to my sides.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Am I not allowed to come and see my best friend?" Simon asked with a smile.

"I was actually going to come and see you today," I replied with a short laugh.

"Great minds think alike," Simon said.

I just laughed.

"This place is huge," Simon said as he looked around.

"I know... I've been here for two weeks and I still find myself almost getting lost," I said.

Simon chuckled just as I saw a familiar figure walk through the door.

"What are you doing here Jon?" I asked my brother as he came to a stop near Simon.

"First of all, he needed a ride," Jonathan said, pointing at Simon. "Secondly, I'm going back to Florida later today and I won't see you for a while."

"Oh..." I said.

Jonathan was still in school and he lived with our father in Florida.

He was homeschooled though – which made things a bit better. It meant that Jonathan could visit Mom and I more often and not miss school.

"How about we go to Central Park? It's a great day out," Simon suggested.

"Sounds great. Just let me grab my coat, I'll be right back," I said as I turned and headed for the stairs.

I paused briefly when I noticed Jace watching me.

I decided to ignore him and I quickly made my way up the stairs and then down the hall to the elevator.

Once I'd grabbed my coat, I went back to the elevator and waited for it to come to a stop.

When it did, I walked out and was about to round the corner to go down the stairs when a hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back.

"What are you doing?" I asked, turning around only to find myself looking at Jace.

"Who are they?" Jace asked. I swore I could hear something else in his voice. Jealousy maybe?

"Who?" I asked.

"Those guys," Jace said, his voice sounding annoyed.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"If you absolutely have to know, one of them is my brother and the other is my best friend," I said as I yanked my wrist out of Jace's grasp and quickly made my way back down the stairs.

Jonathan pulled me into his side and ran a hand over my hair, messing it up.

"Jonathan!" I complained as I ran my own hands through my hair, attempting to fix it.

It was hard enough to tame at the best of times.

Simon chuckled as he linked his arm with mine and we all walked out of the school.

I was glad I was able to actually leave the school at times. Being stuck there all the time would make things so boring.

The school wasn't far from Central Park so we decided to walk.

Simon was right – it was a nice day out.

It was a little chilly, but it was still nice.

As always, Simon had me laughing.

He even made Jonathan crack a smile a few times and that was a rather hard thing to do.

We were currently sitting on one of the park benches.

"So Clary, are you going to come visit Dad and I on the holidays? You didn't last time," Jonathan said as he glanced over at me.

"Yeah, I guess I should... it's been a while since I last saw Dad," I said.

As I got older, I didn't see my father as much as I used to.

I had my reasons, but I didn't care to share them.

Jonathan just nodded as he glanced down at his watch. "Alright... I've got to go now or I'll miss my flight," Jonathan said as he stood up and pulled me into a hug.

"I'll see you soon," He said, placing a kiss on my forehead before turning to Simon.

"Do you want a ride back or not?" he asked.

"Nah, I'll get Luke to pick me up," Simon said.

Luke was one of my Mom's good friends. He tolerated my father but didn't exactly like him. Apparently, Luke had been in love with my mother for a while and now, they were finally dating.

Most teenagers would find it a bit disgusting if their single mother started dating again but I found it sweet. I was glad my Mom had found happiness again.

"Alright... bye Clary," Jonathan said as he turned and started to head back towards the school so he could get his car.

I waved until my brother was out of sight and then I turned to Simon.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked him.

"Well... actually," Simon said, rubbing the back of his neck – something he did when he was nervous.

"What?" I asked, looking up at his brown eyes.

"I need to tell you something but... but I don't know how you're going to react..." Simon said, his nervousness increasing.

"Simon, whatever it is, you can say it," I said, slightly confused by my best friend's nervous attitude.

Simon took a deep breath before he continued.

"Well... I've hidden this for long enough and I don't want to hide it anymore. I need you to know..." He said, trailing off again.

I sighed and just waited for him to continue.

"Clary... I'm in love with you," Simon said after a few moments.

I stopped breathing for a second.

Did he really just say that?

I suddenly wondered if he was joking around but as I looked up at him, I could tell he wasn't. He was serious.

How had I not noticed this? How had I completely missed the fact that my best friend of ten years was in love with me?

"I guess you don't feel the same way," Simon said after a moment. I was certain I saw a look of sadness cross his features.

"It's not that Simon... I just... I didn't realize you thought of me that way..." I said.

Did I feel the same way?

Simon was my best friend... I mean, he was like a brother to me more than anything.

I noticed Simon watching me as I thought over things.

"Simon... you're like a brother to me... I mean..." I said, unsure of what to say.

Simon just nodded once. "It's alright... I just thought I'd tell you," he said as he put his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

**A/N: So I got CoHF way sooner than I expected... it was amazing! I read it in less than 24 hours too! Review Please!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:**

**TIDTMIgirl – Yes, I did cry during CoHF, many times in fact. I would find myself laughing at something then crying like two lines later! It was one heck of an emotional rollercoaster but I wouldn't have it any other way! It was amazing!**

**KyKat: You will find out in this chapter...**

Chapter 10

Clary's POV

A few days had passed and I was still thinking about what Simon had said to me that day in Central Park.

Luckily, Simon had taken an interest in Isabelle.

I mean, don't get me wrong, Simon would make a great boyfriend. He was smart and funny and kind but I couldn't see him as more than a friend – a brother.

We had been friends since we were six and he had seen my good and bad sides. We knew everything about each other and even though that would make our relationship stronger than others, I couldn't see him in that way.

I shook my head to clear it and then walked into English.

To my surprise, Jace wasn't here.

I shrugged and slid into my seat.

Just as the second bell rang, Jace quickly slid into the classroom and sat down in the seat beside me.

I quickly glanced at him before looking straight ahead at Mrs Branwell.

I mainly focussed on Mrs Branwell for the lesson but I couldn't help the part of my mind that drifted off, thinking about Jace.

I was relieved when the bell rang. I quickly packed my stuff and walked out of the classroom, fully aware of Jace's eyes lingering on my back.

* * *

The next few periods had been a relief – I was glad I didn't have Jace staring at me with that judging glare.

I was walking toward the cafeteria now for lunch when I saw Jace round one of the corners.

"Clary," I heard his voice call out.

I didn't really want to stop – I was a little afraid of what he was going to say. I mean, the only time he ever stopped me was to say something that made my hopes of being with him drop.

My feet didn't listen to my brain though and they came to a stop in the middle of the hall as I waited for Jace to approach me.

Only a moment later, he was standing in front of me, his beautiful golden eyes staring down at me. I was rather surprised when I didn't see any of his usual harshness in them.

"What do you want Jace?" I asked, my voice coming out colder than I expected.

I noticed Jace flinch slightly. Well... now he knew how I felt when he spoke like that to me.

"I just... I wanted to apologize. I realize that I've been treating you unfairly ever since you got here and that was wrong of me," Jace said – even his voice was soft now, almost... vulnerable. "Can you forgive me?"

I just stared at him for a moment. Could I forgive him? After the way he had treated me?

"I don't know," I said, looking away from Jace.

"Please. I'm truly sorry. I understand that I've been a complete jerk to you and I actually feel terrible about it. Look... Clary, I want to be friends with you. If you'll let me," Jace said as he reached out and grabbed my wrist, almost as if he was afraid I would run away.

As his fingers wrapped around my wrist I felt a small shock run up my arm.

Did he feel it too?

I looked back at Jace. His eyes held a pleading look but they also seemed to be slightly afraid.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" I asked. "How am I meant to believe you when all you've ever done is be a jerk and lie to me?"

"Please," Jace said. "I really want to be your friend. Please give me a chance."

I just stared at him for a moment. He seemed to be sincere.

I just sighed and looked down at Jace's hand that was still wrapped around my wrist.

"What's that?" I asked, reaching out with my other hand and running my finger of the ring that was placed on one of Jace's fingers.

It held an engraved pattern of birds in flight.

"It's a family ring," Jace replied as he looked down at the ring before removing his hand from my wrist.

I just nodded once. "If you want to be my friend, it's going to take some time," I said. "You need to be honest with me and not... not a jerk."

"I know... why don't you sit with me at lunch? Maybe I could answer some of your questions honestly?" Jace said.

"Why not," I said. It would be nice to know something factual about Jace.

He smiled slightly, his lips parting, showing off his white teeth.

"You're not perfect..." I mumbled as I stared up at his face.

"What?" Jace asked, his golden eyes staring down at me as his smile dropped slightly.

"You have a chip in your teeth," I replied with a small smile.

"I think it just makes me more charming," Jace replied, a cocky tone in his silky voice.

I just rolled my eyes at him. "Are you really that self-absorbed?" I asked as we started walking towards the cafeteria again.

"Maybe. I happen to know I'm incredibly charming though," Jace replied, smiling.

It was nice to see a smile on his face instead of a frown.

I just laughed slightly as we walked into the cafeteria and got something to eat.

I decided to get a bowl of mac-and-cheese and a can of soda.

When we walked back over to a table, I noticed Alec and Isabelle were watching us.

Isabelle leaned in to tell Alec something and he just smiled before saying something back.

I would probably get questions from Aline or Maia later considering the fact they were both staring at me, their eyes slightly wide.

"So how long have you been at this school?" I asked Jace as I sat down.

"About three years," Jace replied.

I nodded.

"Is there a reason you play the piano? Why does it interest you?"

"Well... my parents have always been really busy but they both liked to play the piano. I decided I wanted to play as a way to feel closer to them," Jace replied, looking up at me.

I stayed silent for a moment, trying to think of another question. "Ever been in love?" I asked.

Jace raised an eyebrow at me. "With someone else? No. My one true love remains myself," he said, a hint of a smirk playing at the edges of his lips. There was something about his tone and the look that flashed across his face that told me he was lying.

I let out a small laugh. "Surely that has to be boring," I said. "You know, never being turned down, never being able to kiss anyone..."

"I can kiss, see?" Jace said, lifting his hand to his mouth and placing a small kiss on it.

I laughed again and shook my head.

"And I never said I hadn't dated. I've just never been in love. I've kissed other people before although I've never been turned down," he said, the sad look flashing across his face again, disappearing as quickly as it appeared.

"You're lying. I can see it," I said. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to though. I understand."

Jace just nodded once.

We continued to talk and I found myself liking Jace more and more as the moments ticked by.

There was something about his sarcastic attitude that infuriated me but only made him that much more amazing.

The bell rang signalling it was time to start heading back to class.

I got up and dumped my rubbish in the bin.

"It was nice talking to you," I said to Jace as I walked out of the cafeteria with him at my side.

"It was nice talking to you," Jace replied, another small smile appearing on his face.

We headed back upstairs and as I left the elevator to go to my next class, I could feel Jace's eyes staring at me as the doors closed to take him up to the next level of the school but this time, his stare felt different.

It didn't feel like he was glaring at me. Instead, it felt as if he was just watching me.

I turned slightly just as the doors closed and I could have sworn Jace was smiling at me again.

**A/N: A little bit of Clace in this chapter... something big happens next chapter although it's not what you think it is. Trust me. Can you guess? **

**Also, I loved CoHF so much and when it ended, I started thinking "What happens now to the surviving characters? How do they deal with things and what is their future going to be like now?" so I decided to write a fanfiction continuation of the series! It's called City of Crystals. If you are interested, check it out! If you haven't read CoHF yet, I wouldn't read City of Crystals unless you don't care about spoilers...**

**Review please!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Some of you guys asked for longer chapters so this one is longer... I think it's actually the longest chapter I've written for this story... anyway... enjoy!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mentions of abuse and alcohol usage! This does not occur until later in the chapter though and everyone should be safe reading up until the **_**-o-O-o-**_** as there is no mentions of abuse or anything until after that. Just note that I do NOT support abuse or alcohol usage.**

**If you wish to continue reading after the **_**-o-O-o-**_** that is completely your choice.**

Chapter 11

Clary's POV

I sighed as I stared back at my mother through the crowded airport.

I waved back at her before I made my way towards the plane.

School had finally gotten out for winter break and I was happy that I didn't have to worry about homework and exams and all the drama that comes with being a high school student.

Jace had finally started to warm up to me and things were a lot more civil between us now. He would occasionally have a moment when he would be closed off again but they were so rare, I hardly remembered the Jace he used to be when I first arrived at the Academy.

Even though I wasn't dealing with the dramas of high school, I still had my worries now that it was winter break.

I was flying out to Florida to see my dad again. I had refused to go during the last set of holidays but this time, refusing and being stubborn just wasn't working.

Maybe, just maybe if I told my mother what was happening, she would keep me here.

No. I couldn't tell her. If I did, things would only be worse.

I could just wait for her to be out of sight and then maybe I could hide and wait for her to leave before coming out and leaving the airport... again. That wouldn't work. I wouldn't have anywhere to go and I wasn't very skilled when it came to navigating New York City.

Even if I did manage to find my way back to the academy, I would end up in trouble with my mother because the school had been told that I wasn't going to be there for the winter break. If I turned up there without my mother notifying the school of a change in plans the situation would end with a phone call to my mother.

I had to get on that plane, no matter what I thought. I would have to endure this break like I have been every other time I visited my father.

Taking a deep breath, I forced my feet to move forward with the shuffling crowd.

* * *

Two and a half hours later, I found myself searching for my luggage at the airport in Florida.

I spotted my purple suitcase and went to grab it when another hand shot out and grabbed the handle of it.

I was momentarily shocked but I regained my composure and looked up, about to snap at whoever had grabbed my bag.

I opened my mouth to say something when my eyes fell on the familiar, tall figure with dark eyes and hair so fair it was almost white - the figure of my father Valentine Morgenstern.

"Clarissa. It's good to see you again," he said with a smile that appeared to be fake to some extent.

I just nodded once and reached out to grab my suitcase from him but he jerked his hand backwards, taking my suitcase with it. "Allow me," he said. "The car is that way," he added, pointing in the direction of the car park.

"Really now? I would've thought it was parked on the tarmac with the planes," I muttered under my breath as I turned away from my father and started making my way through the crowd.

* * *

After unpacking my suitcase, I shoved the bag under my bed and walked over to the window and stared out of it.

It was a nice day outside – unlike New York where it had been cloudy and probably about to snow. The sun was shining and I wanted to go out and just explore a bit, see what had changed and just take in the area surrounding my father's home.

I hadn't been in Florida for a while and I actually missed the place even though New York would always be my home.

I picked up my sketchbook and my pencils and shoved them in a small bag before I headed outside, only to find my father on the front patio.

"Where are you going Clarissa?" he asked.

"Just out to see what I've missed, I'll only be an hour or so," I said.

"And why have you got that?" he asked, gesturing to my bag.

"I might do some drawing. A good artist never leaves home without a sketchpad and a pencil," I said. "You never know when inspiration might strike. And please, for the ten thousandth time, just call me Clary," I said before making my way across the front lawn and out onto the sidewalk that led down the street

Every time I saw my father or spoke to him, he always called me Clarissa and I had always told him to call me Clary.

I hated my full name but he didn't ever seem to pick up on that.

Shaking my head to clear it slightly, I continued walking down the street, turning at the appropriate corners until I found myself standing in the park I always come to when I visit Florida.

I may not be very good at navigating to different places but if I know the route, I'll find my way.

I walked over to one of the wooden park benches and sat down, resting my bag on my lap as I stared out at the people in the park.

They were all so happy here, unlike me. I had only left New York about three hours ago now but I was homesick. I missed my mother and my friends and the weather and I was a little scared being here.

After a while, I got up and continued to walk around and I soon found myself sitting at the edge of the small lake on the far side of the park, the clear water reflecting the blue sky that was slowly being covered with clouds.

Of course the perfect weather wouldn't last.

I decided to pull out my sketch book while I had the time and before I knew it, I found my pencil gliding across the paper, sketching the scene in front of me.

_**-o-O-o-**_

I had moved around a bit, sitting at different spots around the small lake and sketching what I saw.

I looked out across the lake and realized it looked darker than it had before.

I frowned and looked up at the sky before quickly shoving everything back into my bag and jumping up off the soft grass that hadn't yet died off from the cold winter weather.

It was already getting dark and as I moved away from the lake and the trees surrounding it, I could get a better view of the western sky. Sure enough, the sun was setting and it was lower than I thought.

I was already going to be in trouble for being out all day but if I got back after dark – as I was probably going to considering how low the sun was in the sky – I was going to be in even more trouble.

As soon as I hit the sidewalk, I pushed myself into a run, forcing my muscles to work as hard as they could.

My feet pounded against the sidewalk and I pushed myself to go as fast as possible but I soon found myself slowing as the light slowly faded and the cold night air began to wrap itself around the town.

As I found the street my father lived on, I could see better thanks to the street light on the corner and the lights that were on in the houses.

I forced myself into a run again, the cold air burning my cheeks and my nose.

When I arrived back at the house I slowly walked through the front yard and opened the door.

I walked inside and quietly shut the door.

I heard movement in the living room to the left and I spun around, my heart racing as I took in the dark eyes and white-blonde hair.

I was relieved a moment later when I realized it was just Jonathan.

"You had me worried for a while," Jonathan said. "Dad had gone to pick you up and I wasn't home when you got back. When I got home, Dad said that you'd gone out and when you didn't come home I was debating whether or not to call the police to get a search party out looking for you," Jonathan said as he enveloped me in a hug.

Just as we pulled apart, I heard footsteps coming from down the hall.

I spun around, pressing my back against Jonathan just as our father came into view.

"Clarissa!" He exclaimed when he saw me, his dark eyes somehow appearing even darker.

I just stared at him, not sure what to do at this very moment.

"Where have you been!? You said you were only going to be an hour yet you were gone for about five hours!" he continued to shout as he came closer.

"I lost track of time, honestly, I didn't mean to be out for so long," I said, my voice shaking slightly.

I forced myself to stay strong.

My father just glared at me as he came closer and he didn't say anything until he was right in front of me.

He grabbed my bag off my shoulder and pulled out my sketchbook and tossed the bag aside.

"This," he said. "Is a waste of time!" His breath smelled strongly of alcohol.

Before I could say anything in response, his arm had flung out in a curve and my sketchbook went hurtling into the fireplace on the other side of the room, the flames destroying it merely seconds later.

I felt tears sting my eyes as I watched the paper burn to ash.

I briefly glanced up at Jonathan who was just staring at our father, clearly a bit shocked at what had just happened.

I felt my father's hand wrap around my upper arm and I could already feel the bruises forming as he yanked me away from my brother.

I cast another quick glance at my brother and I heard the impact before I felt it.

A searing pain erupted on my arm and I knew my father had hit me.

This didn't shock me though. He had been doing this ever since I was twelve. He had been drunk every time he did this so this was no different. Even though I had been expecting this, it still hurt like hell.

What shocked me was the fact that he hit me in front of Jonathan.

Whenever he hit me like this, whenever he abused me, he always made sure Jonathan wasn't home.

Jonathan's mouth dropped open as he stared at the scene in front of him in absolute shock.

Another blow was delivered to my other arm and my stomach. I felt myself stumble backwards before I felt my head hit the wall.

I managed to see Jonathan holding my father back before I passed out.

**A/N: So that was chapter 11... just so you all know, I do NOT support alcohol usage or abuse in any way. It is just wrong... Chapter 12 will be up soon... Review Please!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Clary's POV

I woke up to sunlight pouring through the window.

I groaned and rolled over before sitting up, wincing at the pain near my stomach.

I lifted my shirt up slightly and sure enough, there was a bruise on my stomach.

I heard the door open and I quickly let go of my shirt, letting it fall back over my stomach before looking up to see Jonathan walking into the room.

It was only now that I noticed I was not in my room at my father's house – in fact; I wasn't in any room at my father's house. I was in a room that was completely unfamiliar.

The sheets on the bed were a neutral colour, the curtains that framed the large window were pale blue and the walls were – like the bedding – a neutral colour.

There was also an air mattress on the floor.

"Where are we?" I asked as Jonathan came over and sat on the bed beside me.

"We're at my friend Sebastian's house. After I told him what happened, he agreed to let us stay here for a little while," Jonathan said.

I just nodded silently. So we were still in Florida... which meant our father still had a chance at finding us.

"Was that the first time he ever did that to you?" Jonathan asked after a moment. He didn't need to go on. I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"No... It's been like this since I was twelve. He always did this when you weren't home though and he made sure the marks would be somewhere that wouldn't be seen," I said, staring down at the quilt and picking at a loose thread on my shirt.

"Why didn't you ever tell someone?" Jonathan asked.

"I was too scared. Someone would've told Mom or word would've gotten around to the police or something and no matter who I told, word would get back around to Dad and then things would just be worse," I said as tears stung my eyes.

This wasn't how a father-daughter relationship was meant to be.

He was meant to love me and care about me, not burn my art, call it a waste of time and hit me.

I felt Jonathan's arms wrap around me and I let myself fall against him, burying my face in his shoulder as the tears spilled over.

I don't know how long I sat there wrapped in my brothers comforting embrace but when I finally pulled away, my eyes puffy and my throat a bit sore from all the sobbing, Jonathan's shirt was soaked with my tears.

"Sorry..." I mumbled as I let my finger rest on the wet part of his shirt.

"It's alright... we're safe here Clary," Jonathan said, running a hand over my red curls that were no doubt an absolute mess.

I finally looked up at his face.

His dark eyes stared back at me with worry and he looked as if he hadn't slept last night.

He also had a mark on the side of his head.

"What happened here?" I asked, reaching up and lightly running my finger over the mark. The blonde hair at the edge of it was covered in what appeared to be dried blood.

I noticed Jonathan flinch slightly as my finger touched him.

"After you passed out, I tried to keep Dad away from you, I tried to reason with him but he wasn't listening. He... he hit me and his ring did this," Jonathan said as he gestured to the side of his head where the mark was. "I was rather shocked but I continued to stand in between you and him until he finally decided to storm off down the hall again. Once he'd passed out, I packed up your stuff and brought you here... your stuff is under the bed."

"And you didn't sleep?" I asked.

Jonathan just shook his head. "I wanted to stay up to make sure Dad didn't come looking for us... for you... I was fairly certain he wouldn't but I couldn't help myself... I was worried about you. I still am worried about you. Sebastian's in the kitchen cooking breakfast if you want some," he said.

I just nodded, climbed out of bed and walked across the room and out the door.

Jonathan followed me out to the kitchen and sat down beside me at the table.

I just looked up at Sebastian who was standing behind the bench, cooking what smelled like pancakes.

He was handsome – with his dark hair, dark eyes and whatnot – I'd give him that, but he was a little strange. He was very reserved – not very social – but he was kind and caring.

A few minutes later, Sebastian brought over a few plates of pancakes and some syrup before he joined us at the table.

"I'm sorry about what your father did," he said to me after a moment of silence. "Ever since I became friends with Jonathan, I looked up to your father in a way... I always trusted him... I'm sorry about what happened."

I just nodded once and went back to eating my pancakes. This wasn't a topic I really wanted to discuss but clearly, my brother and his friend weren't going to let it go so easily.

"You need to tell someone Clary," Jonathan said, looking up at me. "He can't keep doing this to you... If you tell Mom, maybe she'll stop making you come here. I can see how unhappy you are here."

"But that means I won't be able to see you as much," I replied. "And he'll know I told Mom and he'll just do this again only it will be worse."

"Not if he gets a restraining order. If he breaks it, he'll be put in jail... besides if Mom knows of what's been going on, she'll probably make me come and stay in New York so I don't get hurt," Jonathan said.

"True," I muttered.

"So are you going to call Mom and tell her?" Jonathan asked, his dark eyes looking at me with worry.

I just nodded. "I guess I have to... I mean, I can't just turn up in New York again without an explanation," I said.

Jonathan just flashed me a reassuring smile as I stood up from the table.

As I walked out of the kitchen and back towards the room I had woken up in, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the contacts until I reached 'Mom'.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down a bit and then I hit call.

**A/N: Review and Clace may just appear soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Clary's POV

Calling my mother and telling her about what had happened had been hard and it had brought tears to my eyes as I recalled all the abuse I had suffered but it had also been a relief to let her know everything.

It was a relief to know that she wouldn't be sending me back here again to suffer through all of this again.

I was also relieved to know that she wanted both Jonathan and I to come back to New York and stay there. We weren't going to argue with her, that was for sure.

I was currently sitting on the couch in Sebastian's living room, watching Jonathan pace back and forth across the small space as he tried to book us a flight back to New York. If he didn't find something soon, we would be driving back.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just drive back Jonathan? I mean... what are you going to do with your car?" I asked as he hung up the phone.

Jonathan just sighed. "We're going to be driving anyway... all the flights to New York are booked out for the next week. You know... with people travelling there to visit family and friends or whatever for Christmas and all..." Jonathan said.

"So... when are we leaving?" I asked. I wanted to get out of Florida as soon as possible to avoid my father finding us and I just wanted to be with my mother for Christmas.

"We'll leave shortly I guess but we'll have to stop at a hotel later on... I'm not going to be driving all night," Jonathan said, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't expect you to," I replied. "I just want to get out of here..."

Jonathan just nodded and then went off to find Sebastian, no doubt telling him that we were going to leave shortly.

* * *

Before I knew it, Jonathan and I had put our bags in the back of the car and we were heading towards New York.

I reached out and switched on the radio, needing to listen to something other than the sound of the car's engine.

"Do you want me to stop and grab us some food?" Jonathan asked as he caught sight of a McDonalds up ahead.

"I could eat a cheeseburger I guess," I said and Jonathan pulled the car into the drive thru.

We were on the road again before I knew it and as we left Florida, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Our father was long gone, probably searching for us right now but I didn't care. Jonathan and I were moving and it would take a miracle right now for him to catch us.

Sure, he would probably figure out we were heading to New York at some point – if he hadn't already – but since there were no spare seats on the flights for the next week, he would either have to wait or drive after us.

Hopefully he wouldn't get the chance though. My mother was going to be contacting the police in Florida and informing them on what had happened.

If they needed evidence, Sebastian knew of what had happened and we could always take photos or videos of the marks our father had left on me.

I shook my head, trying to clear it of any thoughts of the previous night and I focused on the road in front of us as I ate my cheeseburger.

* * *

Eventually, the sun began to set and my fingers itched to draw the gorgeous sunset but having no sketchbook with me made it impossible – so did the fact that we were in a car.

I would end up messing up the drawing because of the constant movement of the vehicle and I wouldn't be able to draw from the same angle because once I found I good scene to draw, it would be gone merely moments later.

It wasn't until about 9pm at night when Jonathan pulled into a nearby hotel. We got out of the car and Jonathan locked it up before we walked inside and got a room for the night.

"Halfway there," Jonathan said as he opened the door to our room.

I just nodded and walked into the room. It was small – not that we needed anything bigger.

There were two beds in the room, a chair in the corner, a television mounted on the wall and there was a door that I assumed led to the bathroom.

I walked over to one of the beds and sat down on it before I kicked off my shoes.

"We didn't think to bring our bags up for a change of clothes," I said. I didn't think jeans would be very comfortable to sleep in.

"I can run down and get them if you want," Jonathan said.

I just nodded slightly.

"I'll be right back," Jonathan said before he disappeared out of the room.

Only a few minutes later Jonathan returned with our bags and I immediately got up and went through my bag, searching for a comfy pair of sweatpants and a shirt.

When I found what I was looking for, I walked into the bathroom and changed. I brushed my hair and then walked out, allowing Jonathan to go and change.

I put my clothes and my hairbrush back in my suitcase and zipped it up before walking over to the nearest bed and flopping down on it.

It wasn't all that comfortable but it would have to do for tonight.

Jonathan came out of the bathroom a few moments later and got into the other bed and eventually, we both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

I woke up the next morning and saw that Jonathan wasn't in his bed.

Slowly, I sat up and looked around the room but I couldn't see him anywhere.

A moment later, the bathroom door opened and Jonathan walked out.

"Morning sunshine," Jonathan said with a small smile.

I just rolled my eyes at him.

"Go on... get dressed... have a shower if you want to... we'll be heading off again soon," Jonathan said as he put his clothes from last night in his suitcase.

I just nodded slightly, still waking up and got out of bed, walking over to my suitcase.

I pulled out a pair of jeans, a long sleeved shirt and my brush and then walked into the bathroom.

After having a quick shower and attempting to tame my unruly hair, I walked back out and packed my suitcase again.

Jonathan and I had some breakfast and then we grabbed out suitcases and checked out of the hotel.

* * *

"This traffic is terrible," I said as I stared at the long line of cars ahead of us.

"I agree," Jonathan said. "Hopefully it will clear up soon..."

We continued to drive like this – in the terrible traffic – for about another two hours before it finally started to disperse.

When I finally started to recognize the streets and surroundings I sighed with relief. We were back in New York now and it was only a matter of time before I could feel entirely safe again.

Street names and surroundings began to become more familiar and finally, I recognized the familiar house that belonged to my mother.

When Jonathan pulled up out the front, the front door flung open and our mother stood there.

I was out of the car a second later and before I knew it, I was wrapped in her embrace, feeling entirely safe.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Mom said as she looked down at me.

I just nodded. I was alright – apart from the fact my stomach and arms were still sore.

Jonathan took his bag inside and put it in his room before coming back out. "Are you staying here or going back to the school?" he asked me.

"I think I'll stay here for tonight and I'll go back to the school tomorrow," I said. "And then I'll come back here on Christmas Day."

"Alright," Jonathan said, getting my bag out of the car and taking it inside.

Mom and I followed Jonathan in and I decided it was time for lunch so I walked into the kitchen to find some food.

* * *

Before I knew it, the rest of the day and the night had passed and I was soon standing in front of the school again.

Jonathan and my mother walked in with me and they went to talk to Hodge as I went up to my room again.

"Clary? You're back!" Isabelle said excitedly when she saw me in the hall. "I thought you were going to be away for the Winter break?"

"I was... but plans changed," I replied, not wanting to explain the whole ordeal with my father.

Isabelle just nodded. "Well... I guess I'll let you unpack again... I've got to try and convince Maia to come shopping..." she said before taking off down the hall. How she ran in those heels, I don't know.

I opened to door to the dorm room I shared with Maia and placed my suitcase on my bed before opening it and starting to unpack.

Jace's POV

I was just sitting on one of the cream coloured couches near the fireplace on the ground floor of the academy when I swore I heard a familiar voice.

I turned around just in time to see Clary go up the stairs and turn the corner.

I just smiled.

She was supposed to be gone for Winter break but now, here she was, back at the academy.

Tomorrow was Christmas Day and I was more excited now. I had gotten Clary a gift but I didn't think I would be able to give it to her until school went back but now I would be able to give it to her tomorrow – as long as I could catch her before she left to spend time with her family. I assumed that would be her plans for tomorrow anyway, considering pretty much everyone would be spending at least the day with their families.

I was beyond excited now but I was also a bit nervous.

Smiling again, I just leaned back into the couch and enjoyed the warmth of the fireplace as I thought about tomorrow.

**A/N: Okay, that's the end of this chapter... I was originally going to add more – ie: I was going to add Christmas Day and all but it ended up being too long so I cut the chapter in half... the Christmas Day chapter will be the next one and I will upload it tomorrow. BTW... can you guess what will appear next chapter? Review Please!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: As promised, here is the next chapter! **

**lolita is fandom crazy: Just a question, how long did it take you to write that review? hahaha**

Chapter 14

Jace's POV

I had missed Clary this morning so I would have to wait to give her the gift I got her.

It wasn't much – just a ring I had seen the other week and in a way, it reminded me of her.

It was gold and the band was curved delicately and had little leaf shapes coming off it. It looked artistic and I had seen Clary wearing similar things at times so I decided to get the ring for her.

I really hoped she liked it. I sighed as I placed the wrapped box back in my drawer.

I stood up and shrugged on my jacket before heading out to meet up with my parents.

Clary's POV

"Much better," I said as I stood in front of the fireplace in the living room.

It was freezing outside and even though I had recently gotten out Jonathan's car, the short walk from the car to the house had made me cold again.

I heard Jonathan chuckle behind me and I just rolled my eyes.

"Merry Christmas Clary, Jonathan," Luke said as he walked into the living area with Mom.

Luke had been one of Mom's best friends for most of her life yet I had only met him when I turned five.

Now, apparently, he was dating Mom.

I was happy for them – as I got older, I noticed how much they seemed to like each other and I was glad they were both finally happy.

"Merry Christmas," Jonathan and I said together.

Mom and Luke smiled and before I knew it, we were gathered around the fireplace handing out our gifts.

* * *

About half an hour later – after opening gifts and thanking each other a million times after certain things – gift wrap lay across the floor and there where things scattered all across the couches.

Luke got a few different things – mainly tools and he also got a crossbow since he was interested in archery.

Mom got a fair bit of art supplies as well as some things to use in the kitchen.

I got art supplies – like Mom did – and I also got a few different books and movies.

Jonathan though, probably got the best gift of all – well, the most expensive anyway. Mom and Luke had bought him a motorcycle – he had been begging for one ever since he started taking an interest in cars and other motor vehicles when he was twelve.

He was so excited that he actually took the bike for a quick ride around the block even though he still had to get it registered.

"That is amazing," Jonathan said when he returned home and parked the bike.

"I'm glad you like it," Mom said, even though she was giving Jonathan a look that said she wasn't all too happy with him at the moment.

I could understand why though.

First of all, he hadn't really ever been on a motorcycle before – only once or twice and even then he was only riding around the yard.

Secondly, the bike wasn't registered and if he had been caught riding an unregistered vehicle by police; he probably would have been fined.

Thirdly, the roads were a bit icy and it was a little dangerous at the moment.

And finally, he wasn't wearing his helmet.

"Where's your helmet idiot?" I asked as I reached up and ran my hands over his hair as best I could – he was just so tall.

"In my room..." Jonathan said with a kind of guilty look on his face. "Sorry Mom..."

Mom just sighed.

"Well it should be on your head," I replied. "If you crashed, you could have died. Or been seriously injured..."

Jonathan just chuckled and a second later, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I half squealed.

"Having fun with my little sister since I'm still alive," Jonathan chuckled as he walked back into the house.

I just rolled my eyes and started hitting his back to get him to put me down.

Jonathan and I continued to mess around with each other as Mom and Luke went into the kitchen to cook Christmas lunch.

My grandparents – my mother's parents – would be coming over shortly.

I hardly ever got to see them so I was excited.

When the smell of lunch started to drift through the house, I found myself walking towards the kitchen.

"That smells so good," I said as I leaned against the bench.

"I know," Mom said just as the doorbell rang.

I ran out of the kitchen and pulled the door open to see my grandparents.

* * *

Before I knew it, the rest of the day had passed and I found myself back at the academy.

I was walking up to the elevator when I felt an arm drape over my shoulders. It hurt just a bit since the bruises were still there but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before.

When I looked up, I found myself staring at Jace.

Jace's POV

"Merry Christmas," I said as I smiled down at Clary.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Clary replied with a smile. "How was your day?"

"Good," I replied. "Better now that you're here."

I saw a faint blush appear in Clary's cheeks and I smiled slightly to myself.

"Do you have a few minutes to spare?" I asked after a moment.

"Yeah, I guess," Clary replied.

I smiled again. I was glad Clary and I had become friends.

"Good... come with me," I said, sliding my arm of her shoulders and letting my hand slip down to hers.

I felt the familiar shock pulse through my body – this happened every time I touched her.

I could feel the present in the pocket of my jacket and it suddenly felt like it weighed a ton – I know, it's not like it's an engagement ring or anything but I still felt nervous. I really wanted her to like this gift.

I led Clary into the elevator and took it up to the highest floor. I began walking down the hall with her and as we approached the familiar wooden door, I turned to face her.

"Close your eyes," I said.

"Okay..." Clary said, shutting her eyes.

I took her hand again and opened the door, leading her into my favourite place in the academy – the greenhouse.

It was a beautiful place – very relaxing and peaceful.

Green hedges grew around the place, jewel-like flowers grew between the hedges and there were vines growing all around. It was just to amazing to put into words.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now," I said to Clary as I came to a stop in the middle of the greenhouse.

I heard her intake of breath and just smiled as she looked around.

"This place is amazing... how come I never knew it was here?"

"I don't know," I shrugged.

"Why did you bring me here?" Clary asked.

"Well... I wanted you to see this place... and I wanted to give you something," I said as I pulled the gift out of my pocket and held it out to her.

"You didn't have to get me anything... I feel bad now because I didn't get you anything..." Clary said as she stared at the box in my hand, slowly reaching out and taking it.

"Don't worry... its fine. It's not much and well, I thought I should get you something after the way I treated you when you first arrived. I feel terrible about that," I said.

Clary slowly unwrapped the box and opened it up.

I saw a smile appear on her face and I smiled too. "I saw that and thought of you... because the design is kind of artistic and well... you're artistic," I said.

"It's amazing Jace. I love it," Clary said as she took the ring out and put it on one of her fingers.

I just smiled at her and the next thing I knew, Clary had her arms around me in a hug.

I was a little shocked but I slowly wrapped my arms around her. She fit against me perfectly – like she was made for me.

When she pulled back and looked up at me, there was a smile on her face.

I couldn't help but stare back at her. It was dark outside now and the moonlight filtering in through the glass rooftop made Clary look even more beautiful than normal – if that was even possible.

I lifted one of my hands to her face and gently rested it on her cheek and I moved a bit closer to her.

When she didn't pull back, I moved even closer and lower my face to hers.

I could feel her breath on my cheek as I got closer and before I knew it, I had closed the distance between us.

She was still for a moment before her lips started moving against mine. I felt her arms disappear from around my body and a few seconds later, I felt them around my neck – her hands tangling in my hair at the back of my head.

I moved my other arm and placed my hand on her hip while my other hand continued to cup her face.

This felt perfect. There was nothing more I wanted in the world right now other than to have Clary in my arms.

Her lips were soft and gentle yet it was clear that she was enjoying the kiss.

I pulled back a moment later and looked down at Clary to see her smiling up at me.

Yep. She enjoyed the kiss. Now I can only hope she doesn't end up breaking my heart.

**A/N: I finally gave you guys some Clace! I bet you're happy about that! Review please!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Alright, I have a few things to clear up before I get on with the chapter... first of all, sorry I haven't updated in a while! I got sick and then my Asthma started to get really bad but I'm better now and I have the next chapter here for you!**

**Secondly, I've been getting quite a few reviews/PM's asking me about why Jace keeps going on about the mystery girl that broke his heart... you will find out who it is/what happened eventually... sometime within the next few chapters. In the mean time, I will tell you one thing... it is someone we know from the books (They may or may not be mentioned in this fanfic yet)... can you guess who though?**

Chapter 15

Clary's POV

He kissed me. He'd actually kissed me.

That was all I could think at that very moment.

I recovered a moment later and smiled up at Jace.

He was smiling back at me with a smile that made me go weak at the knees.

We both stayed silent for a moment, enjoying each other's company, and we were soon just holding each other in an embrace.

"You know, you made this day a whole lot better than I thought it was going to be," I finally said.

"Really?" Jace asked, his gold eyes bright with happiness as he looked down at me.

"Yeah... with everything that's gone on in my life recently, today has made me feel so much better... and right now... I think this is the happiest I've been this week," I replied.

Jace smiled wider – if that was even possible – and leaned down again to brush his lips against mine.

It wasn't much – just a brief touch of our lips – but it was enough to make me feel like I was floating.

"Come on... we should probably go before the sprinklers turn on. Trust me... I've been up here when that's happened and the water is freezing," Jace said as he slipped his hand down into mine.

I just laughed slightly and let him lead me out of the greenhouse.

Our conversation on the way back was light and it made me feel happy.

When I'd first come here, everything between us was cold and harsh and I never would've imagined us in this moment. Time had passed and things started to warm up between Jace and I but thing weren't always so perfect; Jace had still be closed up about something – he still seemed to have walls up.

But now... everything was just so light. There was no tension between the two of us and it was a nice feeling.

I stayed standing next to Jace, my hand wrapped in his, as we took the elevator down to the floor my dorm was on.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Jace said when the elevator came to a stop.

He pulled me into a hug and just held me for a few seconds before his arms dropped back to his sides.

With a smile and a small wave, I stepped off the elevator and made my way back to my dorm.

* * *

I eventually found myself waking up to sunlight streaming through an open window.

With a groan, I threw my pillow over my head and tried to fall asleep again.

I heard someone chuckle and a second later, the pillow was pulled off my head.

"Go away," I said as I tried to fall asleep again.

"Are you really going to kick me out? I thought we could go get breakfast together?" a voice said.

I sat up straight a turned to look at who had spoken.

Of course, it was none other than Jace. He was standing beside my bed, holding my pillow.

"And you had to wake me up? You couldn't wait?" I asked.

A small smile began to creep across his face – a smile that made my heart rate increase slightly.

"No, I couldn't. How could anyone wait to see someone as beautiful as you?" Jace said, raising one of his eyebrows. "It would be a crime..."

I rolled my eyes but I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face.

I wasn't what would normally be considered beautiful. Cute, yes, but not beautiful.

With a sigh, I kicked my covers off and got out of bed. "Well... you're going to have to wait in the hall," I said as I took my pillow out of his hands and dropped it on the bed.

I shooed Jace out the door and I was about to close it when his hands caught my wrists and he pulled me towards him, placing a small kiss on my forehead. "I'll be waiting then," he said as he backed up and leaned casually against the wall on the opposite side of the hall.

I just shut the door and then went over to my dresser to find something to wear.

I settled on a pair of jeans and a pale purple coloured top. I pulled them out of the drawers and then went into the bathroom to shower and tame my hair.

Once I was certain I looked presentable, I came back out of the bathroom and walked over to the door.

When I opened it, Jace was still standing on the other side of the hall and he appeared to be examining his nails.

He looked up when he heard the door open and a smile appeared on his face.

"And at last, she finally appears," he said as he reached out to grab my hand.

I smiled in return and we made our way through the school and I soon realized Jace was taking us out for breakfast.

"Wait," Jace said as we got to the front of the school.

"What?" I asked, turning to look at him.

One of his hands reached out behind my head and he pulled out the band that was holding my hair up in a pony tail.

"Much better," he smiled as he played with my hair for a second.

I just chuckled and then we continued out of the school to get some breakfast.

**A/N: Sorry this is a little shorter than the other chapters... I will try to make the next chapter longer. In the meantime, can you guys guess who the mystery girl that broke Jace's heart is? Review Please!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Alright guys, school's finished up for the semester and I'm on winter break now so hopefully updates will be a little more frequent for the next two weeks! **

**By the way, it's 11pm where I am right now and I'm updating... you're lucky! JK, I stayed up on purpose to write this... here you go!**

Chapter 16

Jace's POV

Winter break eventually passed and I soon found myself sitting in class again, listening to my music teacher drone on and on about whatever topic it was we were now studying.

Music was one of the more interesting subjects and it was the reason I was attending Idris Academy. I would normally listen to the teacher but my mind was focusing on Clary even though she wasn't in this class with me.

She had looked so perfect this morning – her red curls hung over her shoulders, her dark blue top looked great on her – it seemed to bring out her eyes – and she just seemed to be glowing with happiness. Her green eyes sparkled when something caught her attention and her smile was beyond perfect.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a familiar, slightly high pitched voice.

"I was told I have to change classes," the voice said.

I looked up and my eyes fell on the familiar figure of Kaelie Whitewillow – the girl I had been purposely avoiding for the past two years.

She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a simple white top that appeared to be really tight on her figure.

Once, I probably would've found that attractive but not now.

Kaelie ran a hand through her blonde hair and handed a piece of paper to Mr Wayland – my music teacher.

Mr Wayland read over whatever was on the piece of paper and then with a nod in Kaelie's direction, he put the piece of paper down on his desk.

"Alright guys, Kaelie will be joining our class," he said, sounding a little bored. "Please take a seat Kaelie."

Suddenly feeling a little nervous, I quickly glanced around the room.

Damn it.

The only spare seat was right next to me.

Kaelie walked over and placed her bag on the ground before she slid into the seat next to me.

"Hi Jace," she whispered.

I briefly glanced over at her and her gaze caught mine. Her eyes were the same shade of blue I remembered – dark yet vibrant.

They were also the eyes of the girl that had broken my heart.

I dropped my eyes to the desk but the memories surfaced in my mind I found myself reliving one of the most painful days of my life.

_I was fifteen and I had been at Idris Academy for a year already. I had also found a girl that actually seemed to like me for who I was and not just because of my stunning good looks._

_Kaelie and I had started dating when we were fourteen and the past year had been amazing._

"_I'll see you at lunch," Kaelie said, reaching up and kissing my cheek._

"_Alright," I replied with a smile. "I might be a little late though... you know how Mr Ashdale gets at assessment time."_

"_I know... and it's alright. I'll save you a seat at the table," Kaelie said as she turned and walked off down the hall to her next class, her hips swaying slightly._

_I stared after her for a moment before I turned and made my way to Mr Ashdale's class._

_As usual, it was a boring lesson and then came the information about our upcoming assessment task._

_Being Mr Ashdale, he continued to drone on and on about the rules and what we had to study for and the class didn't get out until about ten minutes after the bell._

"_Thanks for cutting into my lunch time..." I mumbled as I walked out of the classroom and made my way towards the cafeteria._

"_Hi Jace," a few girls said with a giggle as I passed them._

_I flashed them a smile and waved as I passed which only seemed to make them giggle more. I loved having that effect on girls. They all swooned when I was around and they were constantly trying to get close to me._

_I wouldn't mind dating some of them – they were pretty good looking – but that wasn't who I was. Sure, I dated quite a few girls but I was a one girl type of guy. If I had a girlfriend, I was faithful to her and I would stay that way until we broke up._

_I'd had a few girlfriends in the past but they were simply flings and I ended them fairly quickly. _

_Kaelie was different though. She liked me for who I was and she was really nice – or so I thought until now._

_I walked into the cafeteria and my eyes scanned the crowded room, looking for Kaelie._

_When I found her, I felt as if my world was being crushed._

_Kaelie was sitting at our usual table but instead of just sitting with our friends, she was sitting on some guys lap and her lips were locked with his._

_I stood there staring at them for a moment before I managed to move over to them._

_I cleared my throat when I was standing behind the guy and Kaelie pulled back with a groan. "What? Can't you see I'm busy!? Jace!" she said, not realizing I had been the one to interrupt at first._

_I just looked at Kaelie, fairly certain my face was telling her how I felt._

"_Jace... it's not what it looks like," she said, pushing herself off the guy and standing up._

_She reached out towards me but I took a step backwards. "Really? Because to me, it looks like you were kissing that guy and apparently, you were enjoying it," I said, trying to remain calm._

"_Okay... so it's exactly what it looks like but Jace, I can explain," she said._

_I just looked at her, waiting for her to continue._

"_I... well... you see..." she stuttered, obviously trying to figure out what to say. "You're just not that interesting anymore. You were pretty cool when I first met you but now... well... you're kind of boring," she said._

_I let my mouth drop open but I snapped it shut after a few seconds._

"_You were using me?" I said. I had meant it as a statement but it had come out more like a question._

"_Well... I guess you could say that. There are plenty of other girls around here that would kill to be yours Jace... go find one," she said._

"_I don't want someone else," I replied. "I want you... I really care about you Kaelie. You're the first one to really mean something to me."_

"_And I'm sure I'm not going to be the last. Go find someone else Jace... I have other things to do now," Kaelie said before she returned to the guy she had been kissing._

_She had been using me. I had been nothing but a toy to her – a puppet._

_I spun around and left the cafeteria, suddenly not in the mood for food._

_I made my way up to my dorm room and locked the door. I didn't come out for the rest of the day – not even for the rest of my classes._

_I didn't care. The girl I cared about more than anything had just destroyed me and my dreams of true love. _

_Yeah, yeah; that may have sounded a little girly but everyone deserves true love. Everyone deserves to have someone that cares about them and I thought Kaelie had been that girl. Apparently, I was wrong._

_It was then that I swore I would never fall in love again._

I took a deep breath, attempting to calm down after reliving the worst day of my life.

"Jace, are you alright?" Kaelie asked quietly, placing one of her hands over mine.

I jerked my hand away and moved across slightly so there was a little more distance between us.

"Jace?" Kaelie asked, sliding closer.

I moved again and ended up falling off the seat.

The entire class – including Mr Wayland – turned to look at me just as I stood up.

"Can I change seats please?" I asked, looking at no one in particular.

"No, Mr Herondale. Now please sit down," Mr Wayland said.

I suppressed a groan and sat down again.

I kept my eyes on the front of the class and attempted to ignore Kaelie.

**A/N: If you guessed Kaelie broke Jace's heart, you were correct! Chapter 17 should be up in the next few days... maybe tomorrow, maybe later... Review please!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Clary's POV

I was sitting at a table in the cafeteria with Isabelle, Alec, Maia and Jordan. Another boy from my English class – Magnus – had decided to sit with us today. Aline had decided to sit with some of her other friends.

Magnus was rather tall and lean and he had slightly muscled arms. His eyes were also the strangest thing I'd ever seen. They were a green-gold colour – a shade I'd never seen before and in a way, they reminded me of cat's eyes.

His hair was spiked up around his head and it appeared to have glitter in it.

I looked around the cafeteria for Jace. Classes had finished about ten minutes ago and almost everyone was in the cafeteria now.

Finally, I saw him appear in the doorway and he started heading towards our table.

As he got closer, I could see the expression on his face and it didn't look very happy.

He looked annoyed and upset. He almost appeared to be in pain – whether it was physical or emotional, I didn't know yet.

"Is everything alright?" I asked when Jace sat down, reaching out to place my hand over his.

Jace relaxed at my touch and let out a sigh.

"Yeah, I'm fine... just some complications in class," Jace replied, looking down at the table.

"Like what?" Isabelle asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"I don't want to talk about it alright," Jace said, his tone a little harsh.

"Alright..." Isabelle said, returning her attention to her food.

Something was bothering Jace and I wanted to know what it was but I wasn't going to push him if he didn't want to talk about it.

He would decide when he wanted to talk about it and when he was ready to talk, I would be ready to listen.

I gently patted his hand a few times before I returned to my lunch.

Throughout the lunch break, Jace was fairly silent. The only time he spoke was to announce the fact that he was going to get some food.

When the bell rang, telling us it was time to go back to class, I stood up with Jace and we walked out of the cafeteria, our friends following only moments later.

"I'll see you later on I guess," I said to Jace as we came to a stop when we had to part.

Jace just gave me a nod and he reached down to kiss my forehead.

His lips lingered on my skin for a moment before he turned to walk down the hall, giving me a quick smile before he turned away.

His smile looked a little forced but I didn't bother asking questions at the moment.

I turned after a second and made my way to my next class.

Jace's POV

Having Kaelie in my music class had put me in a bit of a bad mood.

First of all, I had relived the worst day of my life and secondly, she hadn't really stopped talking to me throughout the entire lesson.

She had continuously brushed up against my arm and she just wouldn't shut up.

When the bell had rung for lunch, I had tried to escape but she had caught my wrist and started talking again.

It wasn't until she started talking to me after class that I actually noticed what she was doing.

She was flirting with me – she was trying to win me over and get me back.

I'll admit, she had changed a bit since the last time I actually looked at her and I guess she looked good.

She was taller – obviously – and her curves were more noticeable. Her blonde hair was the same shade as it had been two years ago and her eyes were the same as well – maybe they were just a little darker.

I pushed the thoughts out of my head and walked into my next class.

* * *

When my classes finally finished for the day, I let out a sigh.

I walked out of my last class – dance – and immediately regretted leaving the classroom so quickly.

I basically ran into Kaelie who turned and flashed what she probably thought was a charming smile.

It just annoyed me.

"Hi Jace, good to see you again," Kaelie said, reaching out and trailing her fingers up my arm.

"What do you want Kaelie?" I asked, addressing her properly for the first time today.

"You," Kaelie said, a slight laugh in her voice. "You know, you got really handsome over the past few years..." she continued, her fingers still trailing up and down my arm.

I stepped backwards and mentally sighed when her hand was no longer touching me.

"You seemed to have lost a bit of your confidence Jace... where's the boy I knew a few years ago? The guy that would jump at the chance to be with someone as pretty as me?" Kaelie asked.

"I've changed Kaelie. And I've always been a one girl type of guy and you know it. If I'm dating someone, I don't date others," I said.

Kaelie stared at me for a second before she let out a short laugh. "You're dating that tiny red-haired girl? I can tell that isn't going to last long," she said.

"That's where you're wrong," I said. "I truly care about Clary and she cares about me, unlike you."

Kaelie let out another short laugh and flipped her hair back over her shoulder.

"You'll see Jace... she doesn't really care about you. She's probably just using you."

I just shook my head, growing more and more annoyed with each passing second.

"I highly doubt that," I said.

"You're just too blind to see the truth Jace. Trust me... she'll break your heart soon and you'll come crawling back to me."

"Whatever lets you sleep at night Kaelie," I said, rolling my eyes. "And if Clary ever breaks my heart – which is highly unlikely – I will never come crawling back to you. I never make the same mistake twice and you, Kaelie Whitewillow, were the biggest mistake I ever made."

I turned away from Kaelie as soon as I finished talking and went off to find Clary.

At least her presence would help me calm down a little and hopefully she could make me forget about the whole Kaelie situation I've had to deal with today.

**A/N: And there's the end of this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! My plan for this story is to update everyday and if I can't do that, I will update every other day! As for City of Crystals (if any of you read it), I will hopefully update at least three or four chapters over the next two weeks since the chapters are a lot longer in that story and they take a lot more effort to write.**

**Review Please!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: As promised, here is another chapter!  
**

Chapter 18

Clary's POV

After classes had finished, I had gone straight up to my dorm room.

My books were currently lying on my bed, as was my homework, and my bag was lying on the ground, the rest of its contents basically falling out.

"Did you set up a trap or something in here?" Maia asked, walking into the room.

I looked up and saw that she was looking at my bag and the mess that surrounded it.

"No... my bag just exploded," I replied with a small laugh.

Maia laughed and tossed her bag onto her bed before she too started her homework.

* * *

I was in the middle of trying to figure out a maths problem when there was a knock on the door.

I looked up and saw that Maia was already heading towards the door.

When she opened it, I saw Jace standing in the hall, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans.

"Hi Jace... what are you doing here?" Maia asked.

"I just need to see Clary," Jace replied, looked over Maia's shoulder at me.

His face seemed to hold the same expression it held at lunch – annoyed and upset – although he looked a little more annoyed now.

"Alright... I'll give you two some privacy I guess... I'll be back in ten minutes though and if you guys are kissing when I return, I'm throwing you both out of here," Maia said before she left the room.

Jace chuckled and closed the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed, the annoyed look reappeared on his face.

"What did you need to see me about?" I asked, looking up at him.

"I just... there's something going on that's annoying me and I just wanted to talk to you about it... that and your presence alone is enough to calm me down and stop me from being so annoyed," Jace said as he sat on the edge of my bed.

I sat up and moved over so I was sitting next to him. "Is this about what happened at lunch? Well... before lunch?" I asked.

"Yeah..." Jace replied.

"I'm listening..." I said.

Jace was quiet for a few moments before he started talking again.

"Well... apparently some of the classes have been changed around and there was a student join my music class today and... well, I'm not happy about who it is," Jace said.

"Okay... so you don't like the student... why?" I asked.

Jace sighed again and he looked down at me, his gold eyes holding a look of sadness, pain and annoyance.

"You remember how I said I've never been in love?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied, slightly confused as to why he had changed the subject.

"I lied. I mean, I'm in love with you and you know that but... before you, I was in love with someone else... and well, they broke my heart," Jace said. "And the student that joined my music class today was the girl responsible for my heartbreak. Kaelie Whitewillow..."

"Ah..." I said, now realizing he hadn't changed the subject of our conversation. "Is it painful for you to be around her?"

"Yes... and it also makes me angry and annoyed. She broke my heart and now... well now she's trying to get me back and she just won't stop, no matter what I say to her," Jace said.

"And you're not interested in her," I said. I really hoped he wasn't because I didn't think I would be able to handle a break up – even though we had only been dating for about a week or so.

"No... Clary, you're the only girl I'm interested in. I just want you to know that... I'm not the type of guy that has a heap of girlfriends... I stay loyal to whoever I'm dating. Just remember that. If you see Kaelie around me, just know that she means absolutely nothing to me, no matter what," Jace said.

"I know... I wouldn't even think that you would betray someone..." I said, shaking my head slightly.

"Good... because you're the only girl I want. My heart is in your hands," Jace said, lowering his voice as he finished his sentence.

I smiled up at him and before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine in a gentle kiss.

There was a tap on the door and Maia's voice came a second later. "I'm opening this door now and I do not want to see you two kissing," she said.

Jace and I pulled apart just as the door opened and Jace stood up.

He flashed me one of his heart-stopping smiles and then turned to walk out of the room.

I smiled after him for a second before returning to my homework.

Jace's POV

Being with Clary had helped me clear my head a bit and she had definitely made me feel better.

She trusted me and that was all I could ask for. I didn't need her to see Kaelie attempting to win me over and then think that I would leave her.

I walked down the hall quickly, praying that I wouldn't run into Kaelie and thankfully, I reached the elevator without seeing Kaelie at all.

I stepped inside the elevator and went back up to the next level so I could return to my dorm and start working on my homework.

I could leave it until tonight but I decided it would be best to get it out of the way early – I mean, Clary was doing her homework now and would probably finish it within the next hour or so. If I did my homework now, I would hopefully finish not long after Clary and maybe I could take her out to dinner.

I smiled to myself as I thought about taking Clary out and – lost in my own little world – I ended up walking past the door to my dorm.

With a sigh, I turned around and then opened the door to the dorm I shared with Alec.

I immediately regretted it.

I stood in the doorway, frozen – half in shock – and threw my hands up to cover my eyes.

I had not been expecting this – at all.

**A/N: And... you'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out what happened... what do you guys think Jace saw? Review Please!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I have to say... you guys are great guessers! Basically everyone that reviewed the last chapter was correct! There are just too many of you to list all the names... Here's the next chapter!**

Chapter 19

Jace's POV

"Please stop... you're scarring me here. I'm never going to be able to unsee this," I said, my hands still over my eyes.

I had opened the door to see Alec – my best friend – and Magnus Bane kissing; making out would probably be a better way to describe it though. I mean, I knew Alec was gay but I had never expected to see him actually kissing someone and I hoped I never saw it again. I might be able to stand a small kiss between him and someone else but a make-out session? No. Just no.

I heard movement in the room but I still didn't move my hands.

"Jace... I didn't think you would be back so soon... normally you go to the gym or the greenhouse for a while before you come back to the dorm," I heard Alec say. He sounded slightly out of breath. I wouldn't blame him though.

"Am I not allowed to do something different?" I asked.

I heard movement in the room again and a moment later I felt someone brush past me. I moved my hands slightly to see Magnus leaving the room. I let my arms fall to my side.

I stared after Magnus for a moment before I shook my head in an attempt to get rid of the memory of what I had just seen. I turned back to Alec. He was still sitting on his bed and it was now that I noticed the blush that covered his cheeks.

I walked into the room and shut the door behind me and after a moment, I turned to face Alec properly.

Before I could say anything though, Alec spoke up.

"Please don't tell anyone about what you just saw," he said, avoiding looking at me. "I'm not ready for people to know yet."

"I won't Alec, trust me," I said. "So you like Magnus Bane?"

The blush on Alec's cheeks deepened and he kept his eyes on the floor.

"He understands me... he's different," Alec said.

I just nodded once. "Well... you're happy with him right? How long have you been together?"

"Yes, I'm happy with him and we've been together for about two weeks," Alec replied.

"And you didn't tell me?" I asked.

"I didn't want to... I wasn't sure whether Magnus was serious about me or not... I mean, he's had flings before and I didn't want people to know about our relationship if he was just using me to pass time," Alec explained, his eyes still on the floor.

"Does Isabelle know about you and Magnus?"

"Yeah... she kind of picked up on it when I invited Magnus to sit with us at lunch."

I nodded once.

"Well... as long as he treats you right..." I said.

Alec just nodded and I went over to my bag to get my homework out.

After pulling my homework out of my bag, I sighed and sat down to start it.

**Line Break**

An hour and a half later, I finally finished my homework.

With a smile, I put it back in my bag and went to go find Clary to see if she wanted to go out for dinner.

I was walking down the hall on the floor her dorm was on when I almost ran into her.

"Hey Jace," Clary said with a smile.

I smiled down at her. "Hey Clary... I was just looking for you," I said.

"Really? What for?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you would like to go out for dinner with me tonight?" I asked, feeling hopeful.

Her smiled seemed to widen and she nodded. "Yeah... I'd like that... I'll grab my coat then we can head out."

"Sounds like a plan," I said as she started walking back towards her dorm with me following close behind.

She opened the door and I saw Maia sitting on her bed.

"I'll be back soon... Jace and I are going out for dinner," Clary said to Maia as she grabbed her coat.

"Alright," Maia replied, glancing over at me.

I gave her a nod just as Clary came out of the room, her beautiful red hair spilling over her black coat.

"Ready now?" I asked her as I took her hand in mine.

She nodded and gave me a smile and with that, we headed out of the school and towards Taki's – one of the best restaurants in New York City.

**Line Break**

Inside Taki's, it was warm – much better than the cold air outside. The wind only made being out there worse.

I wrapped my arm around Clary's shoulders and we made our way towards one of the tables.

I pulled her chair out for her and I saw a smile spread across her face as she sat down.

I smiled in return and then walked around the table to sit in the other chair.

"You're so sweet Jace," Clary said as she picked up a menu and began looking over it.

"Why thank you," I replied with a smile as I picked up my own menu.

Clary and I continued to talk as we scanned over the menus.

About five minutes later, a waitress came over to our table to take our order.

"I'll have the Garlic Chicken with salad," I said.

"And I'll have that as well," Clary said.

"Would you like any drinks?" the waitress asked.

"I'll have a coffee," Clary said, telling the waitress how she had her coffee.

"I'll have a hot chocolate," I said.

The waitress nodded once and then went off to get our food and drink.

"You're having coffee at night?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah... well its cold and I feel like coffee," Clary replied.

I shrugged slightly and smiled at her. She was just so beautiful.

Our food and drink arrived at our table a few minutes later and Clary and I started eating.

"My hot chocolate is much better than this," I said to Clary once I'd taken a sip of the hot chocolate. It was good, but mine was better.

"Really?" Clary asked, smiling.

"Yes. This is good, but mine has more flavour," I said.

Clary just laughed slightly and went back to her food.

I just watched her for a moment before I started eating again.

How did I get blessed with such an amazing person?

**A/N: And that's the end of chapter 19! Wow! I can't believe we are already this far into the story! Chapter 20 is going to be extra special! Oh, lately I've been getting quite a few questions from some of you guys about writing etc and I've created a facebook page where I am sharing writing tips, etc for anyone that's interested. It's called The Writer's Corner... there will be a link on my profile!**

**If you have an requests for this story – if there is anything you want to see, let me know!**

**Finally, before I go, would you guys like me to post a chapter from Magnus/Alec's POV about their little make-out session Jace walked in on? If you do, let me know in a review and I will write it up and post it separately in Emeralds Outtakes – the story I posted that has Jonathan's POV of Valentine being abusive.**

**Review Please!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jace's POV

My date with Clary had gone rather well and I had enjoyed it.

I smiled down at Clary as we walked back into the school – her red hair was still falling perfectly down her back despite the fact the wind had been blowing, her green eyes were bright and happy and she had a smile plastered on her face.

It was much warmer inside the school building and Clary sighed as I shut the door behind us.

"I hate the cold... I wish the cold didn't exist," she said with a small laugh as she swung our arms back and forth; her hand in mine.

"I'll admit, I don't like the cold either but if it was never cold I wouldn't be able to keep you warm..." I said as I stopped and pulled her back towards me.

When she was closer, I pulled my hand out of hers and wrapped my arms around her body, holding her close.

A smile appeared on her face again and I could see a faint blush in her cheeks. Whether it was just from the cold or not, I didn't know.

Clary placed her hands on my chest and continued to smile.

Clary's POV

I smiled up at Jace. He was just so perfect – someone like him shouldn't exist.

He smiled back at me with a smile that made me feel so... special. I caught sight of the chip in his tooth and reminded myself that he wasn't entirely perfect.

A moment passed of Jace just smiling down at me and before I knew it, his lips were on mine.

They were soft and gentle at first – it was a sweet kiss – but after a moment, the kiss became more heated and passionate. Jace's lips moved against mine as we continued to kiss and I soon found myself pulling away for air.

Jace was smiling down at me and I smiled back.

I was about to say something but his lips were back on mine before I could open my mouth. I didn't realize we were moving until I felt the wall behind me.

I reached up, moving my hands from Jace's chest and locking them behind his neck. I felt one of his hands rest on my cheek and I felt the familiar electric-like shock I got every time we touched.

I moved my hands from Jace's neck and tangled them in his blonde hair, holding him close. I didn't want him to move. I never wanted this kiss to end.

Apparently, Jace thought the same thing. His mouth left mine but his lips never left my skin. He trailed small kisses along my cheek and down my neck, his breath tickling my skin as I tried to slow my breathing.

I moved my hands from Jace's hair and let them slip down to his shoulders.

It was now that I realized we were still in the reception area of the school. Fortunately, there were no students or teachers around though.

"Jace," I said.

"Mhmm?" Jace mumbled, slowly lifting his head to look at me. I could still feel where his lips had been and I immediately regretted talking. I wanted him to keep kissing me.

"Anyone could walk down and see us," I said, glancing to the side before looking back at Jace.

His face held a look of slight amusement.

"So? Everyone should know I'm in love with you," Jace replied, his gorgeous smile returning.

I couldn't help but smile back. It was evident in this moment – from the way he spoke and the look on his face – that Jace truly cared about me.

"As much as I'd love to continue, I think we need to stop before we get caught..." I said.

"Or we could go somewhere a little more private," Jace said, raising an eyebrow as his hand wrapped around mine and he started pulling me across the room.

I immediately realized he was heading for the back door – the one that led to the little courtyard I had seen when Maia gave me a tour of the school when I first arrived. I still hadn't gotten around to drawing it.

Jace pulled the door open and led me outside before he shut the door again.

"Now... where was I?" he asked rhetorically as his hands dropped to my hips and he pulled me closer.

I let out a small smile and reached up to kiss him.

Again, the kiss started out slow and sweet and it quickly turned into something more. Jace's hands moved up slightly and when I felt his fingertips on the skin of my waist, I realized he had pushed my top up slightly.

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest and my lungs were soon burning with the need for oxygen but I didn't want to break our kiss.

All I could think about was Jace. He was everywhere right now. His hands were on my waist, his lips were on mine and his scent was everywhere. I was lost in my own little world – a world where only Jace and I existed.

His hands left my waist and my shirt dropped back down and Jace pulled back, both of us breathing hard. I then felt his hands trailing up my back, his fingers dancing along my spine, and they soon cupped my face before I was pulled back in for one last kiss.

Jace leaned forward once more and pressed his lips to mine softly. The kiss wasn't as heated and passionate as it had just been but it was still full of love.

He pulled back a moment later and let his hand slip down around mine and with another gorgeous smile, he turned and we started heading back to the dorms.

**Line Break**

In the elevator, Jace kept his arms around me and I simply leaned my head on his chest.

Of course, the elevator ride was over much too soon and Jace moved his arms.

I went to step out of the elevator but I felt Jace's hand catch my wrist and he jerked me back towards him.

His hands then cupped my face and he placed yet another gentle kiss on my lips before he pulled back, his forehead resting against mine.

"Goodnight, my angel. I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered before pulling back entirely.

I could feel a blush appear on my cheeks and I smiled slightly before I walked out of the elevator and towards my dorm.

**A/N: As you can see, I focused this chapter entirely on Clace... I hope you enjoyed it... next chapter will be up tomorrow! Review Please!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Kaelie's POV

I frowned as I caught sight of Jace. He was with that red-haired girl – Clary – again and his was kissing her; he was kissing her the way he should kiss me.

I disappeared back around the corner and headed towards the elevator. I would get Jace back no matter what. He belonged with me and he subconsciously knew it – he just needed to realize it.

I impatiently waited for the elevator to arrive and when it did, I quickly walked inside and pressed the button to go up to the floor the boy's dorms were on.

It was after 8pm now and I shouldn't be on the boy's floor but I didn't care. I needed help from a special friend of mine and I was certain he would help me.

If Jace thought Clary didn't really love him, it would break is heart and he would eventually come back to me.

I walked quickly down the hall until I came to the dorm I wanted.

I lifted my fist and knocked twice before tapping my foot on the ground, waiting for the door to open.

When it finally did open a moment later, I smiled.

"Kaelie, what are you doing up here?" Meliorn asked, a small smile appearing on his face. Meliorn was handsome in a way – with his dark hair almost reaching his shoulders and his bright green eyes – but Jace definitely looked better.

"Meliorn, my friend, I need you to help me with something. I think we need to talk in private though... we don't need anyone else hearing this," I said.

Meliorn stepped to the side and allowed me to enter his dorm room.

I was glad that Meliorn didn't have a roommate – if he did, this conversation would probably have to wait and that would only make things harder.

Like in all the dorms, there was a bathroom, a kitchen area and the main area which held two beds and a few sets of drawers. I sat down on the spare bed and looked over at Meliorn who had made himself comfortable on his own bed.

"What do you wish to talk about?" Meliorn asked.

"Well, you know the little red-haired girl Clary?" I asked, already knowing his answer. For some reason, Meliorn had taken an interest in her, just like Jace had.

"Yes, what about her?" Meliorn asked.

"I want you to get her away from Jace. I need your help to break them up," I said.

"Why?"

"Jace belongs with me, not her. I want him to realize that. I mean, he already knows he belongs with me, he's just... putting it off for some reason. You know?" I said. "I want him to think Clary doesn't care about him and when he thinks that, he'll come back to me."

"Smart..." Meliorn said. "But how do you plan on breaking them up? What's my role in all of this?"

"You know how I'm a part of the student planning committee?" I asked.

Meliorn simply nodded and waited for me to continue.

"Well... it's not officially announced yet... it will be announced tomorrow, but we are having a Valentine's Day ball – on Valentine's Day of course – and I want you to make a scene... with Clary. You know... kiss her or something. Do something that will make Jace believe Clary doesn't care about him. I'll make sure he see's what's going on."

"I like that plan," Meliorn said with a smile that told me he was on board.

Oh, I couldn't wait until the Valentine's Day ball. Jace will be mine once again and I won't be letting him go.

Clary's POV

I had woken up this morning with a smile on my face, the memory of last night fresh in my mind.

Jace had kissed me so passionately that I couldn't think about anyone or anything but him. He had made me feel so special and loved and I had completely forgotten about all my worries for a while.

We were currently walking hand in hand down the hall towards our first – and unfortunately, only – class together. English.

"Have I told you that you look beautiful today?" Jace asked me, a brilliant smile on his face.

I blushed and looked down at the ground, letting my fall down around my face in an attempt to hide my blush.

I heard Jace chuckled slightly.

The door to our English classroom soon came into view but when I took another step, I almost fell backwards.

I turned around to see that Jace had stopped and still had my hand in his. That was why I nearly fell backwards.

Jace was looking at the student notice board that hung in the hallway a few doors down from our English classroom.

"What are you looking at?" I asked, wondering what was on the board that had caught his attention.

"This," Jace said, reaching out and touching a piece of paper that was decorated with pink and red hearts

I took a step closer to read it.

_Valentine's Ball_

_Where: The Gym  
Date: February 14  
Time: 6pm – 11pm  
Dress Code: Formal_

_That's right! The Student Planning Committee – thanks to Hodge for giving us permission – are holding a Valentine's Day Ball! Bring that someone special down to the gym for a night of romance and fun! See you there!_

When I finished reading the poster, I turned to see that Jace was smiling down at me.

"Will you go to the Valentine's Day ball with me?" he asked, his gold eyes shining.

"Of course I will Jace," I replied, letting a smile appear on my face.

Jace smiled a little wider and leaned down to press a gentle kiss on my lips.

He pulled back much too soon and looked over my shoulder.

"We should probably get to class," he said.

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding.

Jace and I then turned away from the notice board and we headed towards out English class.

Kaelie's POV

I was sitting in my Math's classroom, waiting for class to start and I suddenly caught sight of two familiar figures out in the hall.

I turned my head to look out the door properly and sure enough, Jace and Clary were looking at the notice board.

"Will you go to the Valentine's Day ball with me?" I heard Jace ask Clary.

"Of course I will Jace," she replied.

I smiled slightly. It was still a month away but I was now one step closer to getting Jace back in my arms.

"Just you wait Jace... she's going to break your heart," I mumbled to myself as I turned back to the front of the classroom.

**A/N: Dun, Dun, Dun... Kaelie plans to ruin Jace and Clary's relationship! Will it work out though? BTW, thank you to the guest that reviews as amazing this is, your review on... chapter 15 inspired this idea! I had another twist that I wanted to introduce, and I still will introduce it later on, but I didn't know how to bring it in... I now know how to bring it in though thanks to your review!**

**Review Please!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Alright guys... this chapter jumps about a month... so it is now the day before the Valentine's Day Ball.**

Chapter 22

Clary's POV

The last month had passed so quickly and I now found myself standing in yet another dress store with Isabelle.

The Valentine's Day ball was tomorrow and Isabelle had dragged me to almost every dress shop around because I didn't have a dress for the ball.

Honestly, I was planning on showing up in jeans and a shirt but no, the minute Isabelle found out I didn't have a dress, all hell broke loose.

She had gone through my clothes and when she decided I didn't have anything suitable to wear to the ball, she had grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the school so we could go shopping.

I had stumbled along behind her in almost every store and now I was standing in the dressing room of the fifth store we'd visited today.

"Come on Clary! I want to see the dress!" Isabelle said from the other side of the door.

With a groan, I opened the door. The dress was alright I guess, but it wasn't something I would wear – it was more Isabelle's style.

It was black and incredibly short. It only just reached the top of my thighs. If anything, it was more like a top.

"Turn," Isabelle said, waving her finger in a circle as if she thought I didn't know how to turn around.

I sighed and turned around.

"Hmm..." Isabelle said.

I turned around to face her just in time to catch something she had thrown at me, the hanger almost hitting me in the face.

"Try that on. I think it will suit you better," she said before pushing me back into the dressing room and pulling the door shut.

I locked it and then slipped off the black dress and put it back on its hanger.

I then turned to look at what Isabelle had thrown at me just before. It was a one-shouldered, pink dress – almost coral in colour. I slipped it off the hanger and put it on.

The top part of the dress was pleated and tight and then at the waist it flowed gently to my knees. I had to admit, I actually liked this dress and it looked good on me.

"Are you done in there Clary?" Isabelle asked.

I sighed; she was so impatient.

I unlocked the door again and opened it so Isabelle could see the dress.

She immediately smiled and gestured for me to turn around.

I did as she asked and I could hear her clapping. "I love it! I think we found the right dress... now... now we need to find shoes! Take that off and get dressed again," she said, pulling the door shut after she pushed me back into the dressing room.

* * *

Thankfully, the shoe shopping didn't take nearly as long as the dress shopping did and I had convinced Isabelle into not buying me something with a huge heel.

She had settled on buying me a pair of black shoes with a small heel. I had argued with her, saying that I just wanted a pair of flats, but the look on her face when I said that had shut me up and I had agreed to let her buy me the shoes with the small heel.

At least it wasn't something I could end up killing myself in.

Isabelle and I left the store after we had bought my dress and shoes and then we waited out on the sidewalk for a cab.

When one finally arrived, we climbed in the back and Isabelle gave the driver the directions to the school.

"So... do you like the dress?" Isabelle asked me as the driver pulled away from the curb and started driving towards the school.

"Yeah... it's much better than that black one you had me try on... and let's just forget about the hot pink one," I said, shaking my head at the memory of the bright pink dress Isabelle had forced me to try on.

It was almost like something one would expect a princess to wear. The bottom of the dress had been many layers of tulle and the top of it had been covered in silver glitter and it had been so tight that I could barely breathe.

"I liked that pink one... and the black one was cute too. Jace would've liked it," Isabelle said.

I just shook my head. "That black dress was like a top. It made me look like a hooker," I said.

"Hey! I have a dress like that... and it did not make you look like a hooker... if anything, it kind of made you look taller," Isabelle said.

"Don't start making fun of my height," I warned.

"I'm not... I merely made a statement..."

"Sure," I mumbled, glancing out the window as we approached the school.

When the driver pulled up at the curb, Isabelle paid him for the drive and we both climbed out and made our way back up to the school.

I looked up at the sky and saw that it was covered in dark, ominous looking clouds. "We're in for a big storm tonight I think," I said to Isabelle.

She looked up at the sky and then back at me.

"I think you're right..." she said. "Let's just hope it doesn't do anything to ruin the dance tomorrow night," she added before we both entered the school.

Just as the door shut behind us, there was a loud crash of thunder and I jumped slightly before turning to look out the window in time to see a bright flash of lightning in the distance.

"Scared of a storm?" I heard Jace's voice say, sounding slightly amused.

"No. I just wasn't expecting the thunder to be that loud," I replied, turning to look at him.

He had a smile on his face as he walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"What dress did you get?" Jace asked. He knew Isabelle and I had gone dress shopping because Isabelle had basically dragged me away from him.

"No! You're not allowed to see it until tomorrow," Isabelle said, pulling the dark blue bag out of my hand and hiding it behind her back.

"Oh come on, it's not a wedding dress," Jace said.

"Don't care," Isabelle replied. "I'll take this up to your room," she said to me before disappearing up the stairs towards the elevator.

**A/N: Next chapter is the dance! Review Please!**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Clary's POV

The storm that had started when Isabelle and I got back from dress shopping yesterday had continued throughout most of the night and it continuously woke me up.

Luckily though, it was Sunday so I had been able to sleep in.

I was now sitting in Isabelle's dorm room and she was putting make up on me.

Like with the shoes yesterday, I had argued about make-up but Isabelle won the fight. "Just... don't do anything too dramatic please..." I said. I didn't like wearing a lot of make-up and normally, I never wore it but when I did, I always kept it simple.

Isabelle, on the other hand, liked to be dramatic at times – with smoky eyes and bold lips – I didn't want that.

"Don't worry... I won't," Isabelle said.

With a sigh, I let Isabelle get back to work.

* * *

Half an hour later, Isabelle had finished my make-up and was now working on my hair. She hadn't let me look in the mirror yet.

"Easy on the hairspray Isabelle!" I said, coughing as she sprayed my hair.

"Sorry," Isabelle said. "There... now you can look in the mirror."

I turned and looked in the mirror that sat on the dresser in Isabelle's dorm. She was one of the few students in this school that had a dorm of their own.

My hair was still curly although it wasn't as frizzy as it normally was and Isabelle had stayed true to her word and kept my make-up simple.

In fact, it looked so simple that I didn't understand why it had taken her half an hour to do.

My lips were a pale pink and my eye make-up was a simple combination of a few very natural looking colours. The only thing that looked a little dramatic was the winged linger but it tied the whole look together and I liked it.

I turned to smile at Isabelle.

Isabelle just smiled in return. "Well... let's head down to the Valentine's Day Ball," she said, grinning widely.

Isabelle had gotten ready before me and I had to say, she looked stunning. Simon would probably have a heart attack when he saw her tonight.

Isabelle had managed to persuade Hodge into letting Simon attend the Valentine's Day Ball even though he didn't attend the school and therefore, she had also convinced Simon to attend.

Isabelle was wearing a dark, royal purple halter neck dress. The top of it was pleated and in the middle of the neckline, there was a small, faux silver gemstone. The dress was tight down to her waist and hung delicately down to her knees – the front of the skirt was higher than the back.

Her make-up was a little more dramatic than mine – she wore a smoky eye and pale lipstick that was slightly darker than mine.

She also wore a pair of purple heels that were the same colour as her dress.

We left Isabelle's room after we grabbed our coats – it was still winter after all – and began making our way down the hall towards the elevator.

Most of the students were already out at the gym so Isabelle and I picked up the pace slightly once we reached the ground floor.

Isabelle opened the door that led outside to the path that connected the main school building to the gym.

Isabelle's heels – and mine – clicked against the concrete path as we made our way to the gym.

The doors were open and there were a few teachers standing outside, taking names to make sure no one got into the gym if they weren't supposed to.

Once our names had been checked off, Isabelle and I walked inside the gym. It was much warmer than outside and it was beautifully decorated.

Red, pink and white streamers hung all around the gym and there were helium filled balloons placed randomly along the walls and above the tables. There were also fairy lights around what I assumed was the dance floor for tonight.

Tables had been brought in and they were covered in white table cloths and coloured confetti.

Various plates of food lay on the tables and there was a bowl of punch in the middle.

Overall, the place looked amazing.

"There they are," Isabelle said, pointing over at one of the tables.

I looked over and sure enough, Simon and Jace were sitting at one of the tables and they actually appeared to be getting along.

When they weren't arguing about something – normally involving me – they could actually get along.

"Wow... you look amazing Clary," Jace said as he caught sight of me and stood up.

I smiled and felt a blush appear on my cheeks.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I replied.

He wasn't wearing anything formal but his dark jeans and white shirt looked good. In fact, that's what a lot of the guys were wearing – jeans and a nice shirt.

"Please, I could turn up wearing clown shoes, baggy pants and an oversized shirt and still look good. I can't look bad," Jace said, his signature smirk appearing on his face.

I rolled my eyes. "If you ever turned up to anything wearing that I would act like I don't know you," I said, unable to help the laugh that escaped my lips.

Isabelle was now sitting with Simon and Jace decided to lead me over to the dance floor which was a little crowded. A few students sat at the tables or stood against the walls but most of them were dancing.

I followed Jace and let him pull me close and before I knew it, we were dancing.

* * *

It was 10pm now and Jace and I had gone between the tables and the dance floor multiple times.

I was currently talking to Simon at one of the tables and Jace was dancing with Isabelle who was laughing like a maniac as he twirled her around the dance floor.

It was nice seeing their relationship – they were so much like siblings it was unbelievable. They're amazing friends – just like me and Simon.

"So... how are things going with you and Isabelle?" I asked Simon.

"Good..." he said.

"Have you kissed her yet?" I asked, smiling as I saw his cheeks become pink.

"I... I... no... why would you ask that?" he stuttered in response.

I just laughed. "Come on Simon," I said with a smile. "She likes you... you like her... you're perfect for each other!"

"I've only known her for a few months... and I hardly get to see her... I need to know her better before I even think about kissing her," Simon said.

"Oh come on... it's Valentine's Day and you both like each other," I said, drawing a heart in the air with my fingers.

"How do you know she likes me?" Simon asked.

"She's my friend and you should hear how she talks about you... you're not blind Simon... look at how she looks at you... look at how she acts around you... she's head over heels for you Simon. Man up and kiss her," I said, pushing his arm lightly.

Simon chuckled slightly. "I'll think about it," he said.

I rolled my eyes and got up. "I'm going to get a drink... I'll be right back," I said, walking over towards the punch bowl that was set up on one of the tables along the wall.

I made my way through the crowd when I bumped into someone. "Sorry," I said, looking up.

"It's alright," the guy said, looking down at me.

He had dark hair that fell down around his face – almost to his shoulders – and he had dark green eyes and fair skin.

I had seen him once or twice in the cafeteria but I never spoke to him.

I nodded once and moved around the guy.

"Oh, Clary," he said.

I turned around. How did he know my name?

I saw him glance over at the dance floor... he seemed to be searching for something or someone.

I went to walk away again but I felt a hand clasp around my wrist and when I looked back, I saw the dark-haired boy standing there.

He pulled me closer and before I could do or say anything, his lips were on mine.

I reached up to push him away but his hands were on my back, holding me where I was.

Jace's POV

Isabelle laughed as I danced with her. It was nice when we shared these brother-sister moments. Sure, we weren't actually siblings, but I had grown up with Alec and Isabelle as two of my closest friends and I saw them both as the siblings I never had.

Someone tapped my shoulder and then I heard the voice that annoyed me the most. "Jace?" Kaelie said.

"If you're going to ask to cut in, you can get lost," I said to her as I twirled Isabelle who was still laughing.

"As much as I would love to dance with you, this is more important," Kaelie said.

I rolled my eyes slightly and stopped dancing with Isabelle. "What?" I asked, turning to face Kaelie.

She was wearing a strapless, pale blue dress – the material bunched up at the waist. It was rather short as well.

She pointed across the dance floor. "I thought you should see that," she said.

I turned to look at where she was pointing and I felt my heart drop out of my chest.

Standing on the other side of the room was Clary... and she was kissing someone else – someone I recognized all too well. Meliorn Ravenscar, the guy that Kaelie had left me for when we were fifteen. His hands were on Clary's back and her hands were on his chest.

I continued to stare at them for a moment before I tore my gaze away. I looked down at Kaelie and then over at Isabelle before I let my feet carry me out of the gym as fast as possible.

I thought Clary had actually cared about me but I was wrong. This was why I didn't trust many people and didn't let many people in. I always got hurt in the end.

I finally reached the end of the path and pushed open the door to the main school building before I made my way up the stairs to the elevator so I could go back to my room.

I pushed the door open roughly and went over to my bed and started punching my pillow. Normally I would punch a wall... or a window. I had done that once. I didn't need a broken hand now though. If I was going to break it, I would break it punching Meliorn in the face.

**A/N: Please don't hate me for doing this! Clace will come back eventually! Review Please! If you do... you might get to see Jace punch Meliorn in the face...**

**Also, if you want to see how I picture the dresses the girls wore to the dance, go to **

**pinterest.  
**

**com**

**/Renesmee4eva**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Clary's POV

Kissing whoever this guy was made me feel sick.

Finally, I managed to push him away and he stumbled backwards, hitting one of the nearby tables.

I glared at him but he just had a smirk plastered on his face.

"I'm sorry if I just ruined your relationship," he said, not sounding sorry at all.

"What?" I asked, my voice harsh.

"Jace doesn't look very happy," the guy continued, pointing across the gym.

I quickly spun around, just in time to see Jace quickly moving out the door.

I glanced around the gym again and I saw both Simon and Isabelle staring at me; neither of them looked to happy.

I felt a pair of hands on my hips and someone was suddenly breathing right near my ear.

"I'm right here if you need me," he whispered.

I growled and grabbed the guy's wrists, digging my nails into his skin as I pushed his hands off my hips.

I let him go a moment later and moved as quickly as I could through the crowd, avoiding Isabelle and Simon's gaze.

The air outside the gym was cold and there was a breeze blowing, only making it colder.

I quickly walked up the path, trying not to trip in the dim light.

When I finally made it to the main school building, I pushed the door open and hurried inside, grateful that it was warm.

I couldn't see Jace anywhere on the ground floor so I immediately went up the stairs and pressed the call button for the elevator.

"Come on, come on, come on," I said, tapping my foot impatiently as I waited for the elevator to arrive.

When it finally did, I ran inside it before the doors were even open properly and I pressed the button that would take me up to the floor Jace's dorm was on.

I was trying to calm down as the elevator slowly made its way up through the building.

It finally came to a stop and as soon as I could fit out the doors, I was out of the elevator and running down the hall.

I came to a stop outside Jace's room and started knocking on the door, waiting for an answer. I knew he was in there because I could hear his voice mumbling profanities.

I heard a muted thud from somewhere in the room and then I could hear footsteps approaching the door.

It opened a moment later and Jace looked down at me.

I opened my mouth to speak but before I could, he slammed the door shut and I heard the sound of the lock.

"Jace... please let me talk," I said.

"Get lost," he replied, his voice harsh and angry.

"Jace I wasn't kissing him."

"Yes you were! I saw you with my own eyes Clary. I can't believe you did this... I thought you actually cared about me... I told you things no one else knows and you betrayed me!" he shouted, opening the door again. His gold eyes were burning as he looked down at me and I wanted to shrink back but I stood my ground.

"He kissed-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses Clary. Just leave me alone and don't talk to me ever again, we're over," Jace said before slamming the door again.

I felt the tears sting my eyes and I ran back down the hall faster than I thought I could.

The elevator doors opened when I pressed the button and I quickly walked inside.

Instead of pressing the button to go up to my floor though, I just leaned against the back wall and slid down to the ground, finally letting the tears fall.

This was officially the worse Valentine's Day ever.

Isabelle's POV

"Poor Jace... I can't believe that just happened," I said to Simon, watching Clary walk through the crowd.

"I'm sure she has an explanation..." Simon said.

"Yeah, but still... did you see Jace's face as he left? He's heartbroken again... and on Valentine's Day," I said.

"I don't think Clary broke his heart on purpose... she's not that type of girl..." Simon said.

I just sighed.

I'd known Clary for a while now and she didn't seem like the type of person that would purposely hurt someone.

"I'm going to go talk to Clary I guess..." I said, turning to face Simon. "Something's going on and I'm going to find out what."

"Alright," Simon replied. "I can't go looking for her with you so I guess I'll be heading back home."

I nodded slightly. "I'll walk you out."

To my surprise, Simon grabbed my hand and we made our way through the crowded gym and out into the cool air.

The walk from the gym to the main school building was only lit by the lights coming from the gym and the lights at the door of the main school building.

Simon held the door open and we both walked onto the ground floor of the school building.

I then walked with him to the front door. "I'm going to have to call my sister to pick me up... I'm not even going to bother trying to find a cab at this hour of the night," he said with a slight laugh as he pulled out his phone.

I avoided listening to his conversation with his sister and my attention was only pulled back to him when I felt his hand wrap around mine again.

I looked up and saw him smiling slightly. "Thank you for inviting me here tonight. I had a good time... it was nice to see you and Clary again..." he said.

"I had a good time with you as well... thank you for coming," I replied, unable to stop the smile that appeared on my face.

Simon and I continued to talk for a while and after about five minutes, Simon sighed.

"Rebecca will be here any minute now," he said.

I gave him a small smile. I didn't want him to go but I knew he had to. I needed to find Clary and find out what had gone on back in the gym and Simon technically couldn't stay at the school if I wasn't with him. He couldn't follow me around to find Clary either – not at night anyway. Stupid school rules.

I was about to say something but Simon did something that shocked me.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine.

The kiss was short and sweet, but he had kissed me. He pulled back smiling.

"Thank you, again, for a great night."

"You're welcome," I replied, smiling back.

A car suddenly pulled up at the curb and Simon stepped back. It must be his sister.

"I'll see you next time, Isabelle," Simon said as he walked down to the car, waving at me.

I waved back and after the car drove off, I went back inside the school to find Clary.

Apparently, I didn't have to look very far. I had pressed the call button for the elevator and when it had arrived and the doors had opened, I saw Clary sitting at the back of the elevator and she appeared to be crying.

"Clary?" I asked, walking over to her.

"If you're going to shout at me, just leave me alone," she said, her voice breaking.

"I'm not going to shout... yet anyway... I want to know what happened back in the gym," I said.

Clary looked up at me and I could see her make-up was smudged slightly underneath her eyes.

"That... that idiot kissed me and... I just want to kill him!" Clary said, reaching up to wipe a few tears away. "He ruined everything!"

"Calm down Clary..." I said. "Why did he kiss you?"

"I don't know... I was going to get a drink and he stopped me... then he just kissed me... he said something about ruining my relationship with Jace and... and he did! Jace... he broke up with me. He won't even let me explain anything."

I sighed and pulled Clary in to a hug. "Maybe... just let him calm down a bit... trying talking to him tomorrow," I said.

Clary nodded slightly. "I think I'm going to go to bed," she said.

"Alright," I replied. We both stood up and I pressed the button to take us up to the floor our dorms were on.

Clary's POV

I hadn't gotten much sleep last night. The events of the dance were fresh in my mind and they were playing over and over again.

It was like I could escape the memory.

The look on Jace's face, the tone of his voice, the words he said – they were burned into my mind and constantly appeared every time I closed my eyes.

With a groan, I got out of bed and lazily got dressed for the day, throwing on a dark green top and a pair of jeans.

After I was dressed, I tied my hair up in a ponytail and then left the dorm room – I was already running a little late as class started in about five minutes.

* * *

Luckily, I made it to class before it started and I walked over to my seat, trying my best to ignore the hard glare Jace was sending me.

I stared straight ahead for most of the lesson but occasionally, I would steal a glance at Jace beside me. He was very much like he was when I first arrived at this school – he was glaring – although now, he looked to be kind of broken.

The bell rang at the end of class as Jace was out of his seat faster than I could blink.

I quickly gathered my stuff and hurried out of the room after him.

I managed to catch him a few doors down. "Jace," I said, reaching out to grab his wrist.

He spun around and once again, his gold eyes were burning – he looked rather annoyed.

"What do you want? It's bad enough that I have to sit next to you in English now," he said, his voice harsh.

I flinched slightly at the tone but continued talking.

"Jace... about last night... I didn't-"

"Shut up," he said, cutting me off. "I told you, I don't want to hear your excuses."

"You're impossible. Believe what you want," I said, frustrated. I then turned and started walking to my next class.

* * *

Finally, lunch time came and I walked out of my classroom and started heading towards the cafeteria.

When I got there, many students were already sitting down eating or lining up to get food.

I was about to head over to my usual table but someone caught my eye – the guy from last night was heading straight towards me.

I just stood there, watching him weave his way through the crowd of students and soon enough, he was standing in front of me.

"Hey Clary," he said with a smile. I still didn't know how he knew my name.

"Hey," I said. "You know... I don't think I ever caught your name," I continued.

"My name is Meliorn," the guy replied.

"Well... Meliorn," I said, taking a step closer to him.

His smile widened slightly. If only he knew what was about to happen.

"This is for last night," I finished, curling my hand into a fist and swinging it forward.

**A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Next chapter will be up tomorrow! Review please!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Whoa guys! We reached over 200 reviews for this story last chapter! I'm so glad you're all enjoying it!**

Chapter 25

Clary's POV

My fist collided with Meliorn's nose with a crack and he stumbled backwards.

I laughed at the shocked expression on his face, despite the fact that my hand really hurt now. "What, did you think I was going to kiss you?" I asked.

He already had blood dripping from his nose.

He simply stared at me and groaned when he touched his nose. "You know, you look really hot when you're angry," he said, a pained looked briefly crossing his face.

I pulled my fist back to punch him again but someone caught my wrist. "I don't think so Red," a high-pitched female's voice said.

I turned around to see a blonde girl holding onto my wrist. From what I knew about Kaelie, I could tell that this was her.

"Back off," I said, pulling my wrist free of her grasp.

"No. You back off. You had no right to punch him," Kaelie said.

"Yes I do. He ruined a perfectly good relationship!" I said, getting annoyed with Kaelie already.

"I know... and your relationship with Jace wasn't perfect. My relationship with him will be," Kaelie said.

I lost it then and swung a punch at her, my fist colliding with the side of her face and only making the pain in my hand worse.

And that is when all hell broke loose. Kaelie glared at me and launched herself forward, knocking me backwards into one of the tables.

Unfortunately, we had gathered the attention of a few students and quite a few of them had started to gather around, some even chanting for us to fight.

I groaned and stood up properly again, glaring at Kaelie.

"Jace will be mine," Kaelie said. "He already thinks you don't care about him thanks to Meliorn helping me out last night. Now all I need to do is go and comfort him and eventually, we'll kiss and our relationship will start up again and we'll be the talk of the school and you'll just be a mistake that Jace made. He'll hate you for the rest of his life."

I growled at her. "You set that whole thing up!? I should've known," I said.

"Well, apparently you didn't and now, Jace will be mine," Kaelie said.

I went to throw another punch at Kaelie when something – well, something – stopped me.

I looked back to see Isabelle holding my wrist. "Don't Clary... just stop," she said.

"No! You heard her! She made that idiot over there kiss me so Jace would think I didn't care about him!" I shouted, feeling the tears sting my eyes again.

"I know... but if you keep this up, you'll probably get suspended or something... just... come on," Isabelle said, pulling me away from a smirking Kaelie.

"My hand really hurts," I said as Isabelle pulled me towards our table.

"Well... that's what you get for punching people... even if they did deserve it. Come on... I'll take you to see the nurse and get it wrapped up or something."

With that said, Isabelle and I walked out of the cafeteria and headed towards the nurses office.

Jace's POV

I was still hurt over what had happened last night and seeing Clary only made things worse – it only reminded me of the pain I was trying so hard to ignore and hide.

There seemed to be a bit of commotion in the cafeteria when I walked in. Some students were standing up; others were sitting down whispering among themselves.

As I walked towards one of the tables on the far side of the cafeteria, I noticed what the commotion had probably been about.

Meliorn was sitting in one of the chairs with a bloody nose and a bruise already forming.

'Good,' I thought.

* * *

Lunch had been rather boring and lonely for me. I had decided to sit on my own because I wasn't in the mood for company.

I had been so tempted to walk over to Meliorn and beat the crap out of him but I wasn't willing to do that with a teacher in the room.

The first bell rang, signalling it was time to start heading back to class and with a sigh, I got up and walked out of the cafeteria, ignoring anyone that tried to talk to me.

As I was heading towards the elevator so I could get on with the next period which – lucky for me – was a free period, I passed the nurse's office and as I normally do, I glanced in only to see Clary sitting there getting her hand bandaged up.

I wanted to ask her what had happened but the memory of last night's events made me continue walking.

I heard movement in the nurse's office and then I heard footsteps approaching me and I immediately knew that it was Clary.

Clary's POV

The nurse had told me I may have broken my hand but I would need to get an x-ray to be certain. All that she could do for me at this moment was bandage my hand up and give me some ice.

The possibility of having a broken hand was worth it though. I had punched Meliorn and I would do it again.

I looked up just as the nurse finished bandaging my hand and I saw Jace walk past the office, briefly glancing in.

The nurse gave me some ice and after saying a quick 'thank you' I hurried out of the nurse's office and after Jace.

"Jace," I said as I caught up to him.

Much to my surprise, he actually turned around. His gaze briefly flicked down to my bandaged hand.

"Leave me alone," he said before turning around.

I sighed and continued following him. "Listen Jace, I don't care what you want to think but I'm not going to leave you alone until you hear the truth. Last night... I didn't kiss Meliorn. He kissed me! I haven't had many boyfriends before Jace and when I say this, I mean it. You're the best boyfriend I've ever had and I don't want to lose you. Meliorn kissed me as part of Kaelie's stupid plan to try and get you back. She wanted you to think I didn't care about you and then she would try to get you back once we'd broken up... she thought it would be easier if you had a broken heart. And in case you're wondering, I probably broke my hand by punching Meliorn in the face at lunch. I gave him a bloody nose... hopefully it's broken," I said as I stopped walking.

Jace stopped walking as well and turned around again.

I could see emotions playing across his face – sadness, hurt, anger... and love.

Before I could blink he was right in front of me. His hands cupped my face and he crushed his lips to mine in a kiss that was filled with passion and emotion.

He was kissing me as if we had been separated for a year or something, not merely a few hours. I mean... I guess he thought I hated him but still. I wasn't going to stop him though.

After dropping the bag of ice on the floor, I threw my arms up around him, my good hand tangling in his blonde hair while my other, bandaged hand rested lightly on the back of his neck.

I wasn't sure how long we stood in the hall kissing but before I knew it, I heard the second bell ring through the hall. We were supposed to be in class by now.

Jace pulled back and both of us tried to catch our breath before we moved.

I lowered my arms but Jace grabbed the wrist of my bandaged hand. He placed a feather-light kiss on top of the bandage and looked back up with a smile. "I didn't know you had it in you to punch someone," he said.

"Well... he pissed me off and almost ruined the best relationship I've ever had. He deserved it and I would break my hand a million times over if it meant I got to punch Meliorn for what he did."

Jace's smiled widened slightly and he placed another gentle kiss on my lips.

"Well...we better head off to class before we're too late..." I said. "I have an excuse... I can say I was in the nurse's office... what are you going to say?" I asked him.

"Nothing," Jace replied. "I have a free period right now."

"Lucky..." I mumbled. "Well... I have gym... so... hopefully I won't hurt myself even more... I'll see you later," I said.

Jace nodded and I picked up the bag of ice before I turned to walk off to the gym with a smile on my face.

**A/N: Clace is back! Yay! Next chapter will be up tomorrow!**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Jace's POV

A week had passed since Clary and I had gotten back together after our brief break-up and I was still trying to make it up to her. Apparently though, I was starting to annoy her.

What was annoying about sending flowers though? I felt bad about the things I had said to her and I just wanted her to know I was seriously sorry.

"Seriously Jace, just stop," Clary said, poking me in the chest with her good hand. She had been to the doctor a day after she punched Meliorn and the doctor had confirmed that she had broken her hand.

"This is the last one," I said as I handed her a rose.

She just smiled and took the rose from me. "Am I going to go up to my dorm and find a bouquet of these sitting outside the door?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Maybe..." I replied with a shrug.

She just sighed but kept the smile on her face. "I forgive you, you know?" she said.

"I know... I just want to prove to you how much I love you and how sorry I am for the things I said to you while we were briefly broken up."

Clary continued to smile and she reached up to place a kiss on my cheek. "I'm going to go put this with the bouquet," she said, holding up the rose.

"Alright," I replied, smiling as she walked past me.

Clary's POV

I smiled down at the rose Jace had given me as I waited for the elevator to arrive on the right floor. I loved that he was getting me flowers but after about the third time I found a bouquet sitting outside me door, it started to become a little annoying.

Sure enough, when I approached the dorm room I shared with Maia, there was a bouquet of roses sitting on the floor with a white card attached.

I managed to put the rose Jace had given me into the bouquet and I picked it up and brought it into the dorm room before I read the card.

_Meet me in the greenhouse at 12pm._

The greenhouse was the place Jace and I always went when we wanted to be alone for a little while and the fact that it was Sunday only made this plan of his better. I mean, we could spend the rest of the day up in the greenhouse if we really wanted to.

I put the card down again and walked out of the dorm room.

* * *

After leaving the dorm room, I didn't find Jace but I had run into Alec who had told me Jace had gone off to do something.

A few hours had gone by and when I looked at the clock, I saw it was almost 12pm so I started making my way up to the greenhouse.

When I opened the door and walked in, I couldn't see anyone so I shut the door behind me and walked further into the greenhouse, taking in the plants which were, as usual, beautiful.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and I turned my head to see Jace standing behind me. He leaned down and rested his chin on my shoulder and just smiled his breathtaking smile at me.

"So... why did you want me to meet you here?" I asked, returning his smile.

He moved closer to me and placed a kiss on my cheek before he let his arms slip away from my waist and he caught my good hand in one of his.

"Just come with me," he said in a whisper, his breath tickling my ear. He then stood up properly and started leading me through the greenhouse.

We weaved between the plants and eventually we rounded one of the hedges and beside what appeared to be a small stone pond, there was a picnic blanket set up.

"A picnic in the greenhouse?" I asked, looking up at Jace.

"Yes," Jace replied. "I just want to spend some time with you."

"You seem to want to spend a lot of time with me," I said.

"Is that wrong?" Jace asked.

I just shook my head as Jace led me over to the picnic blanket which had variety of sandwiches and other snacks set out on it.

Jace and I sat down and I picked up one of the sandwiches. "So... I never got the details of your 'fight' with Meliorn," Jace said before he grabbed a sandwich.

"There wasn't much to tell... I mean, I think he thought I was going to kiss him or something... instead, I punched him..."

Jace just laughed. "He deserves so much more than a punch," he said.

"I agree... but I'm not going to do anything else... I don't want to get in trouble," I said.

"What if he tries something again?" Jace asked.

"I doubt he will... have you seen how he acts around me? Whenever he sees me, he tries to get away from me as fast as possible... he's scared of me," I said.

Jace just laughed again.

* * *

We continued to have a conversation as we ate and before I knew it, I could see the sun setting in the western sky through the glass roof of the greenhouse.

"Wow... the sun's already setting," I said.

Jace turned around for a moment before he looked back at me. "We've been up here for a while..."

I just nodded. "Thank you... for planning this. It was nice..." I said.

Jace just smiled and he moved closer to me.

His hand reached up and rested on my cheek and he moved forward, pressing his lips to mine.

This kiss started out slow and slowly became more passionate.

Jace moved closer to me again and he ended up forcing me onto my back and he hovered over me.

I tangled my good hand in his hair again and kissed him back.

I wasn't sure exactly how long we were kissing but I felt Jace jump slightly and a moment later I felt something cold fall on me. I then realized that the sprinklers had turned on.

"Come on," Jace said, smiling slightly as he helped me up from the ground.

"What about the picnic stuff?" I asked.

"I'll get that later... let's just get out of here," he said and we both began to quickly make our way out of the greenhouse.

* * *

"Sorry about the sprinklers," Jace said as we walked down the hall.

"It's alright," I replied.

Jace just smiled at me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we walked towards the elevator.

The ride down to my floor was slow but not slow enough.

"Thank you... again," I said with a smile as I stepped out of the elevator.

"No problem... I'll see you tomorrow," Jace replied.

I smiled and gave Jace a wave before the elevator doors closed and then I walked down to my room.

* * *

I had been in my dorm room for about fifteen minutes when there was suddenly a knock on my door.

Maia still wasn't back so I got off my bed, put my sketchpad down and went to open the door.

I had been expecting someone like Jace or Isabelle or even Alec but no.

Standing in the doorway was a familiar male figure with a head of white-blonde hair and it most certainly wasn't Jonathan.

**A/N: Dun dun dun... review please!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Warning: This chapter contains mentions of abuse! Don't like, don't read.**

**One more thing before I let you read the chapter... JaceHerondale17, your review on the last chapter made me laugh so hard... and it inspired something that will happen next chapter...**

Chapter 27

Clary's POV

My father stepped into the room and I quickly backed away from the door, my eyes searching the room for something – anything – I could use to defend myself if he tried anything.

I mean, surely though, he wouldn't try to hit me in the school when another student or teacher could walk by at any moment.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, grabbing the first object I could reach – it happened to be my hairbrush.

"Looking for you," my father replied. "You're coming back to Florida with me."

"No I'm not," I replied, holding the hairbrush between me and my father, ready to swing it at any moment. "I'm staying here in New York with Mom and Jon and Luke," I continued, making sure I kept a good distance between me and my father.

A look passed over my father's face and it reminded me all too well of the first time my father had hit me when I was twelve.

_I was staying in Florida with Jonathan and my father, expecting it to be the same as usual – he would take us out to the park or a cafe and we would have lunch together, he would support my artistic ability, we would have movie nights – all that sort of stuff._

_But man, had I been wrong._

_I was sitting in my room, the late evening sunlight filtering in through the window as I sat on my bed drawing in my sketchbook._

_I had recently started taking my artwork seriously and with my mother's help, I was getting better and better as time passed. I was currently sketching a picture of Jonathan – who was currently on camp with his class – based on a photograph I had sitting on my bedside table. It wasn't perfect, but it looked better than it would have two years ago._

_I was lost in my own little world as I let my pencil glide across the paper and it was the sound of a door slamming against the wall that brought me back to reality._

_Startled, I looked up and saw my father standing in the doorway, a bottle in his hand._

_He set the bottle down on the desk, roughly, and glared over at me. "Clarissa, I've been calling you for five minutes. Its dinner time," he said in a scary calm voice. There was something about his posture and the fact that he was glaring at me that told me he was not calm at all._

"_I'm sorry... I was drawing... I didn't realize you were-"_

_He cut me off. "No excuses," he snapped._

"_But I didn't hear-" I started but I stopped talking when a searing pain cracked across my cheek._

"_Don't talk back to me. Get out to the table now or you will miss out on dinner," my father said, now standing in front of my bed._

_I stared at him in shock for a moment, trying my hardest to hold back the tears._

_I quickly put my sketchbook down and I climbed off the bed and hurried out of the room, wiping away any tears that began to fall._

I was brought out of my flashback when I felt a hand grip my wrist. My father was now standing in front of me.

I tried to pull back but when I couldn't get out of his grasp, I swung the hairbrush at my father, hitting his arm.

He glared at me and his hand tightened around my wrist before he delivered a blow to my stomach.

"Let's go," he said after he pried the hairbrush out of my hand.

He then started to drag me out of the room and no matter how much I fought, I couldn't break free.

I knew better than to scream – if I did, I would more than likely get another punch – so I kept my mouth shut and unwillingly let my father drag me out of the school. I would start screaming once we got outside. There would be a lot of witnesses then and possibly even a few police officers.

Unfortunately, we didn't pass any students or teachers that I could get help from so as soon as we were out on the footpath, I opened my mouth and screamed for help as loud as I possibly could.

This immediately resulted in another punch to my stomach. "Shut up," my father growled at me.

"Make me, Valentine," I growled back, screaming for help again.

"Have some respect," he snapped at me, his hand cracking across my cheek. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I tried my best to hold them back. I wasn't going to let my father see my pain.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" I heard a female voice shout from somewhere. I glanced in the direction of the voice and saw there was a crowd of people – maybe six or seven – making their way down the street towards us.

"Now look at what you've done," my father growled at me, his hands slamming into my shoulders and causing me to fall at an awkward angle towards the sidewalk. An intense pain appeared in my hip and leg and I cried out, not bothering to hide the tears.

"Oh get up," my father growled and grabbed my wrists before he hauled me to my feet.

He let me go but I was unable to put any weight on my leg that had hit the ground and I found myself falling again.

My head hit the sidewalk and through the pain that I was feeling, I reached up to my head and pulled my hand back just to see it covered in blood.

I rolled slightly to see my father towering over me.

"Back off!" I head a familiar voice shout and a moment later, I saw someone collide with my father's side, knocking him out of my line of vision.

"Keep him away from her Alec," I heard another familiar voice say.

I'll do my best," I heard Alec reply. I couldn't bring myself to move to see what was going on.

I heard other voices – unfamiliar voices – speaking, telling others to call the police while others spoke about helping me.

"Clary..." I heard a familiar, sweet voice say. Something gentle touched my arm and I saw a familiar pair of gold eyes before I passed out, welcoming the numb feeling that came with the darkness.

**A/N: Review Please!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Just so you guys know, Jace may be a little OOC in parts of this chapter... enjoy!**

Chapter 28

Jace's POV

Bored, I had found a mango in the fruit bowl Alec kept on the counter at the far end of the dorm and I was throwing it towards the ceiling and catching it when it came back down.

I could suddenly hear someone screaming and it sounded like it was coming from outside.

I caught the mango again and got up off my bed and looked out the window, trying to find the source of the screaming. My eyes fell on a man with white-blonde hair – he had just punched someone.

I squinted, trying to get a better view of the person he had punched and suddenly, I felt shock take over my body.

I may have been a few floors off the ground but the red hair and the outfit was all too familiar – it looked a lot like Clary.

"What are you looking at?" I heard Alec ask from his side of the room.

I just pointed out the window and I heard Alec sigh and walk over. "I think that might be Clary..." I managed to say after a moment.

"We may as well go find out," Alec said, turning and walking towards the door.

Just as I was about to turn and follow him, I saw the man push the girl over and another scream came from outside as she hit the ground.

I turned and quickly followed Alec, keeping the mango in my hand – it could be a weapon if I needed it to.

* * *

Alec and I made our way through the ground floor and we opened the front door of the school.

Unfortunately, my assumption of who was getting hurt had been correct.

Clary was lying on the ground and the blonde-haired man was standing over her.

"Back off!" Alec shouted, running forward and knocking the man away from Clary.

"Keep him away from her Alec," I said, moving forward.

"I'll do my best," Alec replied.

As I moved towards Clary, I noticed a group of people had arrived near Alec and the blonde-haired man – some were talking about calling the police while others were talking about helping Clary.

I quickly moved over to Clary and dropped down beside her. "Clary..." I said, gently touching her arm as I leaned over her. There was blood on her head and I could see a bruise forming on her wrist. Her leg was twisted at a slightly awkward angle as well.

Her eyes drifted shut and for a brief moment, I felt scared. She still had a pulse though, so that was good.

"Do you know her?" A man asked, crouching down on the other side of Clary with a woman at his side.

"Yeah... she's my girlfriend," I replied, gently brushing some of her hair from her forehead.

The man nodded once. "What about that guy? Do you know who he is?" he asked, pointing towards the man with white-blonde hair.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I mean... he looks kind of like her brother... maybe he's her father? I don't know..."

I looked over at Alec again and saw that a few of the other people had come to help him hold the man back.

I could see their grip slipping though as the man tried to get away from Alec and the others – including Magnus and one of the teachers that had come outside due to all the commotion.

Before I could blink, I noticed the man lunge forward, breaking free from the grip of the people holding him back.

He pushed them out of his way, knocking some to the ground, and quickly started moving back towards Clary and I. There was no way I would be able to fight him off and the others were still regaining their balance or getting up off the ground.

I realized I still had the mango in my hand and without really thinking, I tossed it straight towards the man that was approaching us.

Thankfully, I had good aim and it hit him right in his stomach, causing him to stop his approach and double over. I smirked; he hadn't been expecting that.

He looked back up and glared at me but before he could take another step forwards, the others had caught up with him and restrained him once again.

Only a moment later, I could hear sirens over the man's shouting and I saw a police car and an ambulance turn the corner.

They pulled up at the curb as did a silver car.

The paramedics came over to Clary and I while the police officers went over to the man.

I looked over at the silver car and saw a woman with red hair get out followed by a boy with white-blonde hair. I recognized him as Clary's brother and looking at the woman, I realized she was probably Clary's mother.

"Clary!" the woman said as she quickly came over, dropping down beside us and the paramedics who were trying to stop – or at least slow – the bleeding on Clary's head.

Clary's brother crouched down near us as well and rested his hand gently on Clary's wrist.

"Wait!" I heard the woman say.

I looked up at her and saw that she had stood up and was walking towards the police officers and the man.

"Valentine... how could you do that!? To your own daughter!" she shouted at him.

He merely growled at her in response. "She's a brat," he replied.

I felt like getting up and hitting him and apparently, I wasn't the only one.

The woman slapped the man – Valentine – across the face. "I hope I never see you again," she said before turning around and heading back towards us. The paramedics had done everything they could right now and had carefully picked Clary up and put her on the stretcher.

I stood up as well and watched as they took her back over to the ambulance.

Clary's Mom and brother got back into their car once Clary had been loaded into the ambulance and they followed the ambulance as it drove off towards the hospital.

I looked over at the police officers to see them putting Valentine in the back off the car and I saw the crowd of people that had come to help were now walking back up the street.

The police car drove off a few moments later and I walked back over to Alec, Magnus and the teacher that had come outside.

"My mango's dead..." I said to Alec as I kicked the now squashed mango on the sidewalk.

Alec just chuckled slightly. "Come on... let's go back inside."

**A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Review Please!**


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